Alexander Zverev dealt ATP Finals blow following early Japan Open exit

By SABC Sport
16th October 2023

German tennis star Alexander Zverev suffered a shock first-round straight-set defeat to Australian Jordan Thompson at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Monday.

The 26-year-old put in an underwhelming display as he lost 6-3, 6-4 to 60th-ranked Thompson, which has put Zverev's ATP Finals qualification in jeopardy.

The two-time ATP Finals champion is currently in seventh place in the standings for a spot in the eight-man tournament in Turin.

Holger Rune, defending Japan Open champion Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz are all battling to make the top eight spots and have a chance to close the gap on Zverev's lead with title wins in Tokyo and the upcoming Stockholm and Antwerp tournaments.

"Today, I played horrible," said Zverev following the loss.

"He played quite good, he served quite good but it's just a very, very bad match for me. I don't know what to say."

Zverev came into this match on the back of another first-round exit in Shanghai after losing to Russian 26-year-old Roman Safiullin, a loss the German attributed to "illness".

The world number nine will be hoping to regain the form that won him the Chengdu Open recently and secure his ATP Finals spot in the upcoming tournaments.