Alexander Zverev Suffers Shock Defeat at Home Tournament
Locker Room
May 22, 2025
Alexander Zverev sometimes seems to feel the entire world is against him.
This time the fates have apparently worked in dastardly fashion to plot his downfall.
Alexander Zverev will hope the tennis gods smile on him more kindly this summer at Wimbledon 2025. They certainly didn’t in his own back yard.
Sickness struck the night before the tournament began in Hamburg, the city of Sascha’s birth.
And then his opponent had the audacity to use an underarm serve when Zverev was already feeling a little queasy.
Alexandre Muller was the unrepentant Frenchman who edged past the favourite 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5). Not a hint of regret about his controversial tactic.
‘I saw the crowd didn’t like it. But I thought it was a great shot to do at that moment. I was not with the wind and he was far from the baseline. For me it was a great tactic and this is a great victory.’
Zverev told anyone who would listen that he had carefully counted how many times he had vomited during the night due to some mystery illness.
Excusing his shock defeat, he explained: ‘For the fact that I threw up 37 times and had a fever of 39.4 degrees all night, that’s actually quite OK.
‘I think there are two players who would have taken to the court today. I’m one of them. And I’m really proud of that.’
Was Novak Djokovic the other? He didn’t say. And illness didn’t stop Sascha from breaking back in the third, or indeed leading in the decisive breaker. No matter.
Alexander Zverev can still be a threat to all the big guns at Wimbledon 2025 if his big serve fires on all cylinders.
German fans who feel cheated of a good run from their hero in Hamburg can come to Wimbledon 2025 to see their man go deep instead.
And there’s nothing like the unique fusion of history and celebrity you find at Wimbledon. You can feel the magic the moment you walk through the gates into the spiritual home of tennis.
Centre Court oozes class and cool. The grassy stage is being prepared already for more dramatic history to be made.
Wimbledon 2025 is the big event on the tennis calendar and London’s social calendar too.
Come and join the party! Call us to secure your tickets for the greatest Grand Slam of them all.