In the pulsating world of professional tennis, where every point can shift destinies, Alexander Zverev’s semifinal clash at the 2025 Canadian Masters in Toronto was a rollercoaster of brilliance and heartbreak. The world No. 3, a towering figure with seven Masters 1000 titles, fell 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) to Russia’s Karen Khachanov in a nearly three-hour epic, squandering a match point and a chance to reach his eighth Masters final. Zverev, visibly stung by the defeat, labeled his performance “terrible” and “upsetting,” particularly lamenting a shaky first set that handed Khachanov an early edge. Yet, his gracious reflection and resolve to rebound in Cincinnati reveal the resilience of a champion navigating the fine margins of elite competition.
The match began with Zverev struggling to find his rhythm on Toronto’s fast hardcourts. Khachanov, the 11th seed and a former Paris Masters champion, pounced early, breaking Zverev in the fourth game after a grueling 31-shot rally to claim the first set 6-3. “The first set was terrible,” Zverev admitted, acknowledging how his 11 unforced errors gifted Khachanov a head start. “I kind of gave him a head start, and he’s too good to not use that.” The German’s 44 unforced errors across the match, including 22 on his usually rock-solid backhand, underscored a day when his precision faltered. Despite firing 13 aces and winning 71% of first-serve points, seven double faults—echoing his quarterfinal struggles against Alexei Popyrin—kept him from dominating.
Zverev’s fighting spirit shone in the second set. Trailing by a set, he regrouped, cleaning up his baseline game to break Khachanov at love in the 10th game, leveling the match 6-4 with a forehand winner. “I didn’t feel my best on the court, didn’t play my best tennis,” he later reflected, but his ability to claw back showed why he’s a perennial contender. The deciding set was a masterclass in tension, with neither player yielding a break. Zverev, seizing momentum, earned a match point at 6-5 on Khachanov’s serve, only to net a backhand into the tape—a moment that would haunt him. “I thought I was very brave in the tiebreak, I just missed,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration. “I missed some balls that I wish I wouldn’t have missed, but that’s the way it is.”
Khachanov, trailing 3-1 in the tiebreak, showcased the championship mentality that carried him to the 2018 Paris Masters title. The 29-year-old Russian saved Zverev’s match point and reeled off five straight points, sealing the 7-6(4) victory with a service winner. “I had to dig deep and lift my level,” Khachanov said, relishing his first win over a top-3 player since 2023. “Today was a real close one. I was match point down. If the ball touches the net and drops over, we wouldn’t be talking now.” His 29 winners and relentless pressure on Zverev’s second serve (winning 50% of those points) highlighted his adaptability, a stark contrast to his 0-18 record against top seeds at ATP events prior to this match.
For Zverev, the loss stung deeply, marking another near-miss in his quest for an eighth Masters 1000 crown. “So, yeah, I still had match point, so it’s upsetting that I lost this match,” he said, his candor revealing the weight of the moment. Yet, the 28-year-old, now a father to daughter Mayla, showed maturity beyond his years, crediting Khachanov’s mental fortitude. “I had to work out this match, dig deep and try my best,” Khachanov noted, a sentiment Zverev echoed in praising his opponent’s clutch performance. The defeat ended Zverev’s four-match win streak in Toronto, where he won in 2017, but his 350 ranking points as a semifinalist keep him in contention at No. 3 with 6,125 points.
Zverev’s journey to the semifinals was no small feat. His quarterfinal win over defending champion Alexei Popyrin, a 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-3 battle, showcased his resilience despite a disruptive fan incident. “After losing the first set, I had to tell myself we were both playing well,” he said, a mindset that carried him through tough moments. Now, with the Cincinnati Masters looming, where he triumphed in 2021, Zverev is determined to regroup. “But that’s the way it is, we move on. I go to Cincinnati and try to do better,” he vowed, eyeing a first-round bye and a clash with either Gael Monfils or Nishesh Basavareddy.
As Khachanov prepares to face Ben Shelton in the Canadian Open final, Zverev’s loss serves as a reminder of tennis’s unforgiving nature. His transformation from the racket-smashing days of his youth to a composed father and leader reflects a player still hungry for greatness. With the US Open on the horizon, Zverev’s resolve to overcome this “terrible” setback could set the stage for a triumphant redemption in Ohio or New York.
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