Zverev's drone debacle: semi-final dream in Rio shattered!

Zverev's drone debacle: semi-final dream in Rio shattered!

Alexander Zverev experienced an unexpected disappointment at the clay court tournament in Rio de Janeiro. The top-seeded German tennis professional was eliminated after a thrilling quarter-final against the Argentine youngster Francisco Comesana 6:4, 3:6, 4:6 and thus missed out on a place in the semi-finals. Zverev, who is ranked second in the world, had already suffered a bitter defeat in Buenos Aires and was unable to live up to his expectations in Rio either. Comesana, on the other hand, was enthusiastic as he reached the semi-finals of a professional tournament for the first time with this victory. After an exciting duel, he praised how much he enjoyed the game and reiterated his joy at the success.

A strange incident caused a stir during the game: a drone hovered disturbingly over the pitch, forcing Zverev to briefly interrupt his service. With the approval of chair umpire Aurelie Tourte, the German attempted to hit the drone with a ball, but the uninvited aircraft quickly disappeared from the field. In temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, the players found it difficult to find their rhythm, while Comesana gained more self-confidence with every point. Despite the heat and the flying distraction, Zverev couldn't maintain the pressure and eventually had to give up. According to Zverev, the level of his game was better than in Buenos Aires, but the disappointment about the early elimination remained great crown and Rhine Palatinate reported.

Now it's time for Zverev to put his disappointment behind him after the failed tournament in Rio. He will be back on the court on Thursday at the hard court tournament in Acapulco, Mexico, once again in first place. If he returns to his old form there, it remains to be seen. Zverev is optimistic and hopes that he will be able to play successfully again soon.