A shattered Alexander Zverev is this morning coming to terms with his meek straight sets capitulation to Denis Shapovalov in the fourth round yesterday.
The German gun was handed a golden opportunity with Novak Djokovic’s deportation and Todd Woodbridge was one of many experts to tip him for the men’s title.
But a painful, and familiar, storyline played out instead as Zverev’s record against top 20 players at Grand Slams slumped to a scarcely believable 4-15.
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Even worse, he has never won a match against a top 10 player at a slam.
“To be honest, there is not much I can say or take away that was positive from today,” a shellshocked Zverev said.
“Maybe since Wimbledon, one of the worst matches I have played. I give credit to Denis.
“It’s incredible he’s in the quarters. He deserves it. He’s done a lot of work. He’s improved his game. But I’ve got to look at myself. Today was just awful from my side.”
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Zverev’s grace after defeat was admirable but it won’t stop the tough questions being asked for a player who had been open about his ambitions to be world No.1.
“I was playing bad the whole week,” Zverev said.
“I came here with a goal to win, and maybe to become No.1 and all that. But if I play like that, I don’t deserve it. It’s as simple as that…
“I think I need to figure myself out first. It’s no one else’s fault. It’s not the coach’s fault, it’s not my team’s fault, it’s no one else’s fault. It’s purely me.
“At the end of the day, as the world No.3, I have to take responsibilities for the things I do and don’t do.
“Today was just not good enough to beat someone like Denis.”
While Zverev was his own harshest critic after the match, legendary German player Boris Becker chimed in with a brutal assessment of his own.
“Very disappointing,” Becker told Eurosport of Zverev’s meek exit.
“Sascha never found his game, he didn’t develop dynamism or aggression.
“Right from the start you had the feeling that Shapovalov was always a step ahead. The Canadian was livelier. I haven’t seen Zverev that passive for a very long time.
“You can lose and play badly, but you still have to make an effort and leave your soul on the pitch. We missed that today.”
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