Rome — Alexander Zverev left the court frustrated. After being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, the defending champion voiced his displeasure with both the match balls and the playing style of his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti. Instead of gaining momentum and confidence ahead of the French Open, which begins on May 25 in Paris, the 28-year-old experienced yet another setback in his clay-court season.
Now, as he travels to the French capital, Zverev carries more questions than answers. His goal remains clear: to finally secure his first Grand Slam title on the storied red clay of Roland Garros. Last year, he came painfully close, falling in a grueling five-set final to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
French Open: A Season Highlight for Zverev
For the Hamburg-born star, the French Open has always held special significance. It’s the tournament where he believes he has the best chance of achieving his long-held dream of a Grand Slam victory. Three years ago, he played some of the best tennis of his career in Paris. But his promising run was abruptly ended by a serious ankle injury in the semifinal against Rafael Nadal—an injury that may have cost him both the trophy and the world No. 1 ranking.
This year, Zverev remains among the favorites, though not the top contender. His clay season has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. He suffered a first-round loss in Monte Carlo, claimed the title in Munich, exited in the round of 16 in Madrid, and now missed out on the semifinals in Rome. Consistency has been elusive.
On a positive note, Zverev did show improvement in Rome. He delivered confident performances in his opening matches and comfortably defeated rising French talent Arthur Fils, against whom he had previously struggled. Even in his loss to Musetti, Zverev had opportunities but ultimately fell 6–7 (1–7), 4–6.
Frustrations Over Conditions and Opponent’s Style
After the match, Zverev openly criticized the playing conditions. “The balls were a joke today,” he said. “They say we use the same balls in Monaco, Madrid, and Munich. Then we come here, and they feel completely different. They’re huge. It’s really tough to hit winners with them.” He didn’t stop there, also taking a swipe at Musetti’s tactics.
“He relies heavily on defense. He depends on his opponents making mistakes,” Zverev commented. While both players recorded 20 winners over the two-hour, 16-minute match, the difference lay in errors. Musetti made just 22 unforced errors compared to Zverev’s 36.
Musetti Makes the Most of the Moment
Musetti, for his part, acknowledged that he took full advantage of the conditions. “Especially when he was standing deep behind the baseline, I tried to play some shorter balls,” the Italian explained. “It worked well because the balls didn’t bounce much due to the humidity later in the evening.”
With this loss, Zverev’s ranking has also taken a hit, dropping him from the No. 2 spot. As he heads into the French Open, the German star will need to regroup quickly if he wants to be a serious title contender. His physical form may be improving, but mentally, Zverev will have to overcome the doubts that now cloud his path toward a Grand Slam breakthrough.
