World No. 3 Alexander Zverev was highly critical of his performance after a surprising defeat at the hands of France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the Shanghai Masters on Monday. Rinderknech, ranked 54th in the world, came from behind to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in sweltering conditions.
Zverev, clearly shaken, didn’t hold back in his post-match comments. “I’m playing terrible tennis,” he admitted. “Just no confidence, no belief in the shots… My year has been terrible.”
The loss marks the second time Rinderknech has bested the German this year, having also knocked him out of Wimbledon. Despite a toe injury in his previous match, Zverev showed no signs of physical trouble early on, breaking Rinderknech in the third game and taking the first set with relative ease. However, momentum shifted in the second set, where the Frenchman found his rhythm and broke in the fourth game.
“I’m not really sure how I turned it around,” said Rinderknech. “I fought like hell, tried everything. Zverev is a great player, so I knew it would be a battle.”
By the third set, Rinderknech was firmly in control, breaking early and capitalizing on Zverev’s growing frustration. The German even had to pause mid-set to change his sweat-soaked shoes, a clear sign of the punishing humidity. But the change wasn’t enough. A double fault in the seventh game handed Rinderknech another break, and the 30-year-old sealed the match with an ace, celebrating with an exuberant dance on court.
With Zverev’s exit, Novak Djokovic now becomes the highest-ranked player left in the tournament, enhancing his chances of claiming a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai. The world No. 1 will face Spain’s Jaume Munar in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
The tournament has already seen several top contenders drop out. Defending champion Jannik Sinner was forced to retire due to severe leg cramps, and fourth seed Taylor Fritz also exited early. World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew prior to the tournament to rest.
Australian Alex de Minaur, now the next highest seed behind Djokovic, moved into the fourth round after a 6-1, 7-5 win over Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak. He will face Portugal’s Nuno Borges next, who knocked out local hopeful Shang Juncheng 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3.
2019 champion Daniil Medvedev is also through, having defeated Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). “It’s been two years since I won a title, so I’m not a favorite yet, but I’ll take it match by match,” Medvedev told AFP. He added that he embraced the tough conditions: “When it’s over 28 degrees and humid, I suffer — but so does everyone else.”
Up next for Medvedev is a rematch against 19-year-old American Learner Tien, who beat him last week at the China Open. Tien advanced to the last 16 with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win over Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
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