lexander Zverev had declared himself back and ready to take on the world’s best after beating Jannik Sinner in five sets on Tuesday.
Instead, he was found to be wanting as Carlos Alcaraz eased past the German in a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory at the US Open.
Zverev has faced a lengthy battle to get back to his best since a horror injury at last year’s French Open. Three sets against the world No1 suggested he still faces a mountain to climb, at least against Alcaraz.
The defending champion in New York became a crowd favourite the moment he made his debut as a teenager.
They lapped up his entry to Arthur Ashe Stadium, the fist pumps, the smiles and especially the array of shot making which belied the fact he is just 20 years of age.
Like throughout the era of the big three, there has been a predictability about the identity of the two men’s finalists. You would be hard pushed to find anyone in New York expecting anything other than another final between Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
The frustration for Zverev is that he didn’t play badly, enjoying the first break point of the match in game seven but he couldn’t convert either opportunity he produced.
Such is Alcaraz’s ability to wrest back control of a match that might be slipping out of his grasp, he manufactured a break point of his own in the very next game, took it and comfortably served out the first set.
Understandably, Zverev looked somewhat shellshocked that an even set should have slipped from his grasp quick so rapidly on a hot night in the Big Apple.
Try as he might, from that moment he never really looked like keeping his career head-to-head advantage against Alcaraz, which is now down to three apiece.
In the second set, Alcaraz had two chances to break and grabbed both after which his opponent looked deflated, knowing the mountain he had to climb to force his way back into the contest.
To his credit, he took the fight to the Spaniard and briefly threatened to send the match to a fourth set. But again Alcaraz got a whiff of a break-point opportunity.
Afterwards, Alcaraz said: “I feel so comfortable playing in his court. I love New York. I am so in my best level in this court. I am ready to play a great battle against Daniil Medvedev.”
