Sascha Zverev has now lost 12 slam matches where he was up a set at some point in the match

[clout]

Zverev might be the worst front-runner among top 10 players in recent memory. At just 23 years old, he's already lost 12 matches at majors where he was up a set at some point in the match.

2016 RG - won the first set against Theim, lost in 4
2017 AO - up 2-1 against Nadal, lost in 5
2017 WI - up 2-1 against Raonic, lost in 5
2017 US - won first set against Coric, lost in 4
2018 AO - up 2-1 against Chung, got pummeled in the last two sets to lose in 5
2018 WI - won first set against Gulbis, lost in 4
2018 US - won first set against Kohlschrieber, lost in 4
2019 WI - won first set against Vesley, lost in 4
2019 US - won first set against DieGOAT, lost in 4
2020 AO - won first set against Thiem, lost in 4
2020 US - up 2-0 against Thiem, lost in 5th set tiebreaker (up a break in the 5th in a slam final nonetheless)
2021 AO - won first set against Novak, lost in 4 (was up a break in sets 3 and 4)

 

[Raul_SJ]

I fell asleep when Zverev was leading 3-0 in the third set. Don't know how Djoker pulled this one out, especially being injured -- bandages on injured abdominals.

 

[Beckerserve]

Zverev is a woeful player. How he is top 20 is a mystery.
His FH is abysmal. Technically all wrong. Add to that no volleying skills at all and the mental strength of a mouse on a bad day and he surely represents all that is wrong with young players.

 

[Red Rick]

Zverev is a woeful player. How he is top 20 is a mystery.
His FH is abysmal. Technically all wrong. Add to that no volleying skills at all and the mental strength of a mouse on a bad day and he surely represents all that is wrong with young players.

Let's not overdo it, as much as I loathe street.

The combination of giraffe serve, world class backhand and ability to play 30 shot rallies and defend really well makes it no surprise he's top 20.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Zverev is a woeful player. How he is top 20 is a mystery.
His FH is abysmal. Technically all wrong. Add to that no volleying skills at all and the mental strength of a mouse on a bad day and he surely represents all that is wrong with young players.

You neglected to mention his amazing balance.

 

[clout]

To put that into perspective:

Roger Federer has lost 18 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2003 (since Zed was 6 years old)

Rafael Nadal has lost just 5 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2005 (since Zed was 8 years old)

Novak Djokovic has lost just 9 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2007 (since Zed was 10 years old)

 

[Tennis_Hands]

The positive of that is that he gains huge experience and by the time he is 27-8 or so he could still be in the top 10 making the life of the younger and older than him guys difficult. Still, if he doesn't start improving in certain areas, he can kiss his chances to win Majors good bye. The generation coming behind him seems more talented than his own, so they will overcome them soon enough.

 

[Beckerserve]

Let's not overdo it, as much as I loathe street.

The combination of giraffe serve, world class backhand and ability to play 30 shot rallies and defend really well makes it no surprise he's top 20.

Thats my point. It is a sad reflection of the tour if a guy with no FH and an unreliable 2nd serve is top 20 given the other attributes you mention as obviously the tactic is just hit to his FH all day.

 

[mike danny]

Zverev might be the worst front-runner among top 10 players in recent memory. At just 23 years old, he's already lost 12 matches at majors where he was up a set at some point in the match.

2016 RG - won the first set against Theim, lost in 4
2017 AO - up 2-1 against Nadal, lost in 5
2017 WI - up 2-1 against Raonic, lost in 5
2017 US - won first set against Coric, lost in 4
2018 AO - up 2-1 against Chung, got pummeled in the last two sets to lose in 5
2018 WI - won first set against Gulbis, lost in 4
2018 US - won first set against Kohl, lost in 4
2019 WI - won first set against Vesley, lost in 4
2019 US - won first set against DieGOAT, lost in 4
2020 AO - won first set against Thiem, lost in 4
2020 US - up 2-0 against Thiem, lost in 5th set tiebreaker (in a slam final nonetheless)
2021 AO - won first set against Novak, lost in 4 (was up a break in sets 3 and 4)

Bolded: oh dear.

 

[Milanez82]

To put that into perspective:

Roger Federer has lost 18 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since his first major win at 2003 WI (since Zed was 6 years old)

Rafael Nadal has lost just 5 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since his first major win at 2005 RG (since Zed was 8 years old)

Novak Djokovic has lost just 8 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since his first major win at 2008 AO (since Zed was 10 years old)

Which makes your perspective moot and his up a set record should be looked at after his first slam win

 

[Red Rick]

Bolded: oh dear.

You manage to miss the one where he loses Slam final from 2 sets up?

 

[mike danny]

You manage to miss the one where he loses Slam final from 2 sets up?

Well, it was to Thiem, not to those guys.

 

[clout]

Which makes your perspective moot and his up a set record should be looked at after his first slam win

Thing is, the big 3 all kinda came out of nowhere to win their first major. Fedal had never made it past the QF at a major prior to their first slams and they weren't even a top 10 player coming into that season. For Novak, he had just entered the top 10 less than a year ago when he had won his major. This streak became a pattern the moment Zverev became a top 5-10 player back in 2017

 

[Sysyphus]

he is choking in slam quarterfinals and finals (and hotel rooms, allegedly) now, not to journeymen in the first three rounds.

amazing progress, #inspirational

 

[junior74]

You neglected to mention his amazing balance.

Awesome movement for a giraffe.

 

[clout]

Which makes your perspective moot and his up a set record should be looked at after his first slam win

I changed it to when they entered the top 10 and it didn't make much of a difference.

 

[Raul_SJ]

Zverev may win 5 or 10 Slams. Or none. I have no idea.
His 0-9 record in Slams against Top 10 players is concerning.

 

[mike danny]

Thing is, the big 3 all kinda came out of nowhere to win their first major. Fedal had never made it past the QF at a major prior to their first slams and they weren't even a top 10 player coming into that season. For Novak, he had just entered the top 10 less than a year ago when he had won his major. This streak became a pattern the moment Zverev became a top 5-10 player back in 2017

Federer did enter 2003 as a top 10 player.

 

[clout]

Federer did enter 2003 as a top 10 player.

Wow didn't realize Fed finished 6th in 2002.....interesting. He was seeded 13th at the 2002 US Open and after some research, it doesn't make much of a difference since he wasn't up a set in his loses to Nalby and Horna at AO and RG 2003.

 

[Milanez82]

Thing is, the big 3 all kinda came out of nowhere to win their first major. Fedal had never made it past the QF at a major prior to their first slams and they weren't even a top 10 player coming into that season. For Novak, he had just entered the top 10 less than a year ago when he had won his major. This streak became a pattern the moment Zverev became a top 5-10 player back in 2017

Yeah well big 3 are 3 of the best ever while Zverev is just a talented player that seems to have the game to be the best but seems to have some mental block to unleash his full potential
He sure smoked Djokovic off the court in that WTF final
Having the right coach might bring those results.

 

[mike danny]

Wow didn't realize Fed finished 6th in 2002.....interesting. He was seeded 13th at the 2002 US Open and after some research, it doesn't make much of a difference since he wasn't up a set in his loses to Nalby and Horna at AO and RG 2003.

That Hamburg win in 2002 elevated him. And, I guess, the YEC performance too.

 

[clout]

Bolded: oh dear.

I wouldn't lump Diego with those other folks. He's clearly a much better player than a past his prime Gulbis and Vesely (seriously, who tf loses to Vesely at majors lol)

 

[mike danny]

Yeah well big 3 are 3 of the best ever while Zverev is just a talented player that seems to have the game to be the best but seems to have some mental block to unleash his full potential
He sure smoked Djokovic off the court in that WTF final
Having the right coach might bring those results.

Well, in order to have the right coach, he needs to stop driving all of them away.

 

[mike danny]

I wouldn't lump Diego with those other folks. He's clearly a much better player than a past his prime Gulbis and Vesely (seriously, who tf loses to Vesely at majors lol)

Still, it's Diego on HC. Hasn't he owned Diego on this surface in their other matches?

 

[clout]

Still, it's Diego on HC. Hasn't he owned Diego on this surface in their other matches?

Typically, yes he has. Tbh I didn't watch a lot of the ones where he lost to lower ranked players so I can't really attest to how each player played, it's just a embarassing pattern for Zverev to have lost that many times while up a set a major despite still being a young player

 

[MichaelNadal]

Too focused on his gangsta chains

 

[tudwell]

Rafael Nadal has lost just 5 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2005 (since Zed was 8 years old)

Man, Nadal is so good at taking advantage of his opportunities. If he gets close to winning a big match, to winning a slam, he nearly always does. If Fed had that same gene, he'd have put the slam record utterly out of reach by now.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

Thank God he lost today. Him in the final would have been dreadful for tennis.

 

[TripleATeam]

To put that into perspective:

Roger Federer has lost 18 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2003 (since Zed was 6 years old)

Rafael Nadal has lost just 5 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2005 (since Zed was 8 years old)

Novak Djokovic has lost just 9 times at slams when up a set at some point in the match since entering the top 10 in 2007 (since Zed was 10 years old)

Only 5 times in his whole career? Jeez... I suppose much of that's got to come from either being in form or not - he'll either lose outright or win outright. But there's also got to be a huge mental aspect, where if he gets that edge in the match, he can keep his opponent from making any progress.

 

[Villain]