Alexander Zverev lost yet another match to Jannik Sinner last night, thus ending his hopes of a Miami Open title.
It marked a disappointing end to his strong campaign, but one that will have left a bittersweet sensation afterwards.
After all, rather frustratingly, the German actually played very well.
In fact, just days after Zverev outlined his plan to win a Grand Slam title, Sinner showed him a level that he might not ever be able to reach.
Alexander Zverev loses the perfect set to Jannik Sinner
In a statistic shared by journalist José Morón, he outlined just how ‘demoralising’ it must have been to be Alexander Zverev, particularly after the first set.
After all, despite having lost it 6-3, the rating system actually suggested that the 28-year-old had outperformed Jannik Sinner.
Who is the better hard court player – Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner?
“It’s the first time I’ve seen this,” the journalist wrote, alongside a picture which showed the Italian’s 9.28 rating for the set, and Zverev’s 9.5
The latter then went on to impress again in the second set, but lost it on a tiebreak.
If this proves anything, it’s that Zverev’s Grand Slam title ambition might be even more unlikely than first thought.
Alexander Zverev’s Grand Slam dreams seem unlikely
Speaking earlier in the week, Zverev cut a defiant figure when discussing his chances of ever winning a major title.
After all, it’s a narrative that has followed him for years now, given that he’s inarguably one of the greatest players to have never won a Grand Slam title.
Will Alexander Zverev ever win a Grand Slam title?
He is justified in backing himself to eventually end that hoodoo, but after the level Sinner showed him yesterday, that dream seems further and further away.
If he and Carlos Alcaraz are at the top of their games, nobody comes close, even when the world number three played a near-perfect set.
Zverev has made changes to his game to help his cause, but that might not be enough as his two biggest rivals are only getting better and better.
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