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Alexander Zverev Makes Honest Admission on his Game After Another Missed Opportunity at a Maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Fahad Hamid | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 7:42 PM ET

Alexander Zverev admitted he must make changes to his game after suffering a surprise third-round defeat at the US Open. The world No. 3 lost to Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets, despite taking the opener 6-4 before falling 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4. The result ended his hopes of finally breaking through for a first Grand Slam title this season.

The setback placed Zverev in unwanted company. He became the first top-three ATP player to exit in the opening week of back-to-back majors since Rafael Nadal in 2005. Despite his strong overall Slam record—winning 74% of matches, the best of any man without a major trophy—he remains without a breakthrough victory on the sport’s biggest stages. Zverev said in his post-match press conference:

The truth is, I have to improve a lot next year; I have to find something that allows me to be a better player here because I’ve been playing poorly in New York for two years.

The disappointment comes after another missed chance earlier this year. Zverev reached the Australian Open final in January but was beaten in straight sets by Jannik Sinner. Since 2023, his record against players outside the top 20 has been excellent at 32-4, yet lapses against strong opposition at critical moments continue to hold him back.

This early exit was his worst at Flushing Meadows since 2019, when he fell in the fourth round before rebounding with a US Open final the following year. In both 2022 and 2023, he made the quarterfinals, but the 28-year-old admitted that his struggles in New York have lingered. He now plans to refocus and adjust his game with an eye toward next season.

Alexander Zverev’s Grand Slam hunt gets another setback

If you ask tennis fans who the best male player without a Grand Slam title is, Alexander Zverev’s name almost always comes up. The German has been in that conversation for years, with a major trophy the one piece missing from his résumé.

Zverev’s record speaks for itself. He owns 24 ATP titles, including two ATP Finals and seven Masters 1000 crowns, and was the Olympic champion in Tokyo. Currently ranked world No. 3, just shy of his career-high at No. 2, he has been a consistent presence at the top of the sport for nearly a decade despite setbacks like his serious French Open injury in 2022.

Yet Grand Slam success continues to evade him. His latest chance ended on Saturday with a third-round defeat at the US Open to Felix Auger-Aliassime. The loss was especially disappointing given Zverev’s higher ranking and experience compared to the Canadian.

For Auger-Aliassime, the win was a much-needed breakthrough. Ranked well below Zverev, he had not been past a Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2022 Australian Open. Though he reached the US Open semifinals in 2021, his results since had been inconsistent. This victory, against a strong favorite, may help him rediscover the level many expected from him earlier in his career.

Alexander Zverev exits the US Open

Felix Auger-Aliassime reminded fans of his talent with a stunning victory over third seed Alexander Zverev on Saturday night at Louis Armstrong Stadium. The 25th seed rallied for a 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4 win, delivering one of his best performances in years. For a player who had struggled on the big stage recently, this was a much-needed return to form.

The turning point came late in the second set. Zverev held a set point in the tiebreak and looked ready to take full control. Instead, Auger-Aliassime held his nerve, erased the danger, and snatched the set. That moment shifted the momentum completely, as the Canadian began to dictate rallies with confidence while Zverev’s level dipped.

It was an especially important result given Auger-Aliassime’s struggles at the majors in 2025. He had suffered early exits in Melbourne, Paris, and Wimbledon, leaving many to doubt whether he could rediscover the form that carried him to the US Open semifinals in 2021. Against Zverev, who had won six of their previous eight meetings and started strong, Auger-Aliassime finally delivered when it mattered most.

The win also marked a career milestone. For the first time, Auger-Aliassime defeated a top-five opponent at a Grand Slam, breaking a streak of six previous losses in such matches. That breakthrough could prove to be a turning point, lifting the weight of past failures and giving him belief that more big results are still ahead.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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