What is Zverev's best match?

Third Serve

Third Serve

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I'm far from a Zverev fan but I took the time to watch his Rome 2017 final victory over Djokovic fairly recently, and he struck me as being more impressive in that match than in any of his recent ones. In fact, a lot of Zverev's best matches seem like they happened a long time ago (Madrid 2018, YEC 2018, Olympics 2021) and I can't think of any particularly stellar displays from the last few years. He's been consistent sure but I don't think he's quite been able to recapture that level, especially not at the Slams.

So what actually is his best match, by your estimate?
 
I don't know actually. YEC 2018 final off head impressed me.

I didn't see the full match with Raz in AO 24 so I can't judge best but I would imagine that's up there somewhere.
 
Such questions really make no sense. It's very rare that a player really has one specific match which can be called his "best". Especially in such a long career.

That being said, Zverev indeed had a few scary performances in his early years.
 
Random pull but he was terrifying in DC in 2018. After watching that tournament, I remember being very afraid Zed ruling the world was just a matter of time. I agree if you are looking for best Zverev matches 2018 or 21 most likely places to find them. WTF 18/21 RG 22 QF USO 21 Oly 21. I think RG 24 was solid too. AO 24 QF could be his best ever slam match, and he played well in the semi too just choked like crazy.

Edit: Oh and AO 20 semi vs Thiem is also a quite good match. Maybe best all 90s born match at a slam.
 
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Hard to say for me what his best match is. That bad ankle injury seemed to slow him down a bit, although he still moves extremely well. If I had to choose I guess I would pick the Olympics match.
 
The Guru said:
Random pull but he was terrifying in DC in 2018. After watching that tournament, I remember being very afraid Zed ruling the world was just a matter of time. I agree if you are looking for best Zverev matches 2018 or 21 most likely places to find them. WTF 18/21 RG 22 QF USO 21 Oly 21. I think RG 24 was solid too. AO 24 QF could be his best ever slam match, and he played well in the semi too just choked like crazy.

Edit: Oh and AO 20 semi vs Thiem is also a quite good match. Maybe best all 90s born match at a slam.
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Good shouts.
 
Third Serve said:
I'm far from a Zverev fan but I took the time to watch his Rome 2017 final victory over Djokovic fairly recently, and he struck me as being more impressive in that match than in any of his recent ones. In fact, a lot of Zverev's best matches seem like they happened a long time ago (Madrid 2018, YEC 2018, Olympics 2021) and I can't think of any particularly stellar displays from the last few years. He's been consistent sure but I don't think he's quite been able to recapture that level, especially not at the Slams.

So what actually is his best match, by your estimate?
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Zverev is one of a crown, of himself, Thiem, Medvedev and Tsitsipas. They all performed much better when they were young, and before the beatdowns they suffered at the hands of Big3.
 
Anyone who can push the King of Clay on his home turf, even in defeat, has a case for his greatest match. My pick is the 2022 French Open.
 
Third Serve said:
I'm far from a Zverev fan but I took the time to watch his Rome 2017 final victory over Djokovic fairly recently, and he struck me as being more impressive in that match than in any of his recent ones. In fact, a lot of Zverev's best matches seem like they happened a long time ago (Madrid 2018, YEC 2018, Olympics 2021) and I can't think of any particularly stellar displays from the last few years. He's been consistent sure but I don't think he's quite been able to recapture that level, especially not at the Slams.

So what actually is his best match, by your estimate?
Click to expand...
2021 olympics, 2024 AO QF vs Alcaraz. 2018 Washington
 
Third Serve said:
I'm far from a Zverev fan but I took the time to watch his Rome 2017 final victory over Djokovic fairly recently, and he struck me as being more impressive in that match than in any of his recent ones. In fact, a lot of Zverev's best matches seem like they happened a long time ago (Madrid 2018, YEC 2018, Olympics 2021) and I can't think of any particularly stellar displays from the last few years. He's been consistent sure but I don't think he's quite been able to recapture that level, especially not at the Slams.

So what actually is his best match, by your estimate?
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I think the Wimbledon 2026 quarter final win with 64 64 62 against his nemesis Fritz.
 
Ok, I'm just gonna straight up throw the Wimbledon 2026 QF into this topic.

Just the absolutely perfect performance from Zverev, Serving like a boss, threw in slices, approaches, was hitting winners off both sides, didn't choke any games away and served it out perfectly! It was also against one of his biggest mental H2H rivals in Fritz. Utterly destroyed him in straight sets. One of his best performances!
 
Are you talking about best performances? I would say when he played Nadal at the WTF in 2019 and Alcaraz at Roland Garros in 2022 are the two that come first to mind for me. There are other matches where he goes into that zone (I feel like at least part of his Olympic match with Djokovic was like that? Could be mistaken) but I don't think that many of them have come on stages that big against opponents of that level, and certainly practically all of them came before The Snap. When he finally beat Meddy at the WTF after 5 straight losses to him was another.

He is not the same player since then, his return, which used to be pretty damn good, has never really been the same since. I think this match today against this dude who has been his daddy for the past 2 years might be the best one that I have seen since his comeback. The semifinal with Sinner in Cincinnati a couple of years ago was another really good one, if you want to include losses. Beating Alcaraz in Australia in 2024 was pretty cool also, but I think he got a lot of help from across the net that day.
 
Terenigma said:
Ok, I'm just gonna straight up throw the Wimbledon 2026 QF into this topic.

Just the absolutely perfect performance from Zverev, Serving like a boss, threw in slices, approaches, was hitting winners off both sides, didn't choke any games away and served it out perfectly! It was also against one of his biggest mental H2H rivals in Fritz. Utterly destroyed him in straight sets. One of his best performances!
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Crispyrev :D
 
Feels like yesterday I was reading Meles' post-match breakdown of Zverev vs Djokovic in Rome 2017. For that reason, this is my choice.
 
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Before I start has Alex been playing like this the whole tournament? He's absolutely smoking his serves (yes, even 2nds) and FHs right now. Fery is playing well but Z has been a bit sloppy with UFEs, too. Just a matter of time before Alex starts pulling away, I think.

And what do you know, he takes the TB 7-0 LOL.

Anyhoo:

StefanV said:
Olympics 2021 is when he made me destroy my TV full of rage.
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kangaroo1973 said:
2021 olympics, 2024 AO QF vs Alcaraz. 2018 Washington
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Yeah, that Olympic F was the first one that came to my mind. Djoker didn't do much wrong that day, just flat-out outgunned by Z.

Yugram said:
RG 2022 QF against Alcaraz for BO5

Meme Finals final against Medvedev in 2021
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ibbi said:
Are you talking about best performances? I would say when he played Nadal at the WTF in 2019 and Alcaraz at Roland Garros in 2022 are the two that come first to mind for me. There are other matches where he goes into that zone (I feel like at least part of his Olympic match with Djokovic was like that? Could be mistaken) but I don't think that many of them have come on stages that big against opponents of that level, and certainly practically all of them came before The Snap. When he finally beat Meddy at the WTF after 5 straight losses to him was another.

He is not the same player since then, his return, which used to be pretty damn good, has never really been the same since. I think this match today against this dude who has been his daddy for the past 2 years might be the best one that I have seen since his comeback. The semifinal with Sinner in Cincinnati a couple of years ago was another really good one, if you want to include losses. Beating Alcaraz in Australia in 2024 was pretty cool also, but I think he got a lot of help from across the net that day.
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That too. Told my chat gang at the end of the match that Z would have a real shot at dethroning Bull. Of course Zverev being Zverev he still managed to blow the 1st set and put himself in danger of dropping the 2nd of the SF before that unfortunate injury, but that QF was easily the top best-of-5 outing I've seen from him.
 
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