Zverev rips into scheduling after Madrid Open final defeat: "The ATP's job was an absolute disgrace this week"
ATP
Alexander Zverev was swept by Carlos Alcaraz today in the final of the Madrid Open but the German has put the blame on the ATP and scheduling after losing 6-3, 6-1.
He hit five double faults, numerous unforced errors and 25% only on his second serve and it follows two late-night finishes after having to play after Alcaraz and the WTA final yesterday and he certainly let his thoughts known.
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“I have to say is that the ATP’s job was an absolute disgrace this week. Two days ago I went to bed at 4:00, 4:30 a.m. Yesterday I went to bed at 5:20 a.m.,” Zverev fumed during his press conference.
“If any normal person goes to bed one night at 4:00 a.m., the next night at 5:00 a.m., it will be a tough time just to be awake for them.’ “And for me to play a final against Carlos Alcaraz, who to me is the best player in the world right now, in a Masters 1000 event, the next day, it is difficult.”
Despite that, he does concede he may not have beaten Alcaraz but believes it could have been better as an overall game.
“I had no coordination on my serve, I had no coordination on my groundstrokes. I missed two overheads that were super easy because I see the ball, and everything is moving in my eyes,” he said. “I had absolutely no chance today of being. I had absolutely no chance of playing my level. This is not the first time this is happening. I mean, in Acapulco I played until 5:00 a.m. I played until 5:00 a.m. I was awake until 8:30 a.m. This is happening on a weekly basis, and to be honest, I’m a little bit tired of it.”
“Here (in Madrid) the chances are being taken away from me and at the end of the day everybody forgets about those things. Nobody talks about it. Everybody says, Yeah, it was a bad match, I made double faults, I didn’t play well and all of that. But look at what is happening the days before. Look at what is actually happening behind the scenes, as well. It’s not quite fair, I think.” He concluded.

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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