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Alexander Zverev's controversial run at the Hamburg European Open came to an end on Wednesday. He was eliminated by Alexandre Muller of France in the second round, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5).
Zverev's participation in Hamburg this year became a huge talking point among critics and tennis fans around the globe. He accepted a last-minute wildcard to enter the event in his hometown this week.
While critics felt it was a desperate attempt to find his rhythm, fans questioned his negative statements about the tournament. The German had recently lashed out at the organisers for hosting an ATP 500 event a few days before the French Open.
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On that note, let's look at the complete controversy surrounding Alexander Zverev at the Hamburg European Open this year. First up, criticism from fans for entering the event.
One user wrote:
"Zverev apparently said not long ago that playing a tournament the week before a slam was stupid so..."
Another tennis fan said:
"Playing a 500 tournament before a Grand Slam, gotta be one of the stupidest things Zverev can do. But he was never known for being a particular bright person."
Next, Zverev candidly discussed his participation in the Hamburg European Open. He wished to enjoy the event and not take it as seriously as the fans did:
"It was a spontaneous decision to come to Hamburg. I was at home a few days after the tournament in Rome, recharged my batteries - then my team and the tournament had intensive discussions. Yesterday afternoon it was clear: I'm playing in Hamburg," Alexander Zverev said as per the German Open's official website.
"We're here with the whole family. All the children are here. It's going to be a nice week. I'm just going to enjoy my time in the family environment, at home, in my village, where I grew up. I can play tennis here and recharge my batteries at the same time," he added.
Zverev started his campaign in Hamburg by cruising past Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-1, 7-6(5). He was two points away from entering the quarterfinals, but Muller denied him the win.
The top seed spoke about batting through sickness to compete in the second round of the Hamburg Open. Despite his close loss against the Frenchman, he felt proud of his performance in Hamburg.
"For the fact that I threw up 37 times and had a fever of 39.4 degrees all night, that's actually quite okay," Alexander Zverev said. "I think there are two players in the whole world who would have taken to the court today. I'm one of them. And I'm really proud of that. I was two points away from winning the match. There's a lot to be said in my favour."
"I think I played a solid and good match. But he realised at some point that I wasn't feeling well and then went on playing the points for as long as possible. That was clever on his part," he added
Notably, the 28-year-old is a two-time finalist at the Hamburg European Open. He famously clinched the title in 2023 and secured a close runner-up finish in 2024. Despite a resilient effort against Arthur Fils, the Frenchman outlasted him in three sets last year.
"I still want to show good tennis there and win a lot of matches" - Alexander Zverev on his mindset at the French Open this year
Alexander Zverev will make his 10th appearance in the French Open this year. He was one win away from clinching the title last year, but Carlos Alcaraz stood in his way in the final.
The German spoke about his mindset ahead of the clay court Major. He wished to recover quickly from his sickness and put on a good show in Paris.
"Maybe it's actually a good thing that I now have a few days to control the strain a little," Alexander Zverev said. "I'll get healthy first and then see. But nothing will change for me for Paris. I still want to show good tennis there and win a lot of matches."
Zverev has made a hot and cold start to the season by amassing 25 wins from 25 matches so far. He secured a runner-up finish in the Australian Open and captured the title in Munich.
The 28-year-old is expected to be the third seed in Paris this year. Despite his shaky form on tour, he will be one of the favorites to win.
