Alexander Zverev Dismantles Popyrin’s Toronto Hopes in Gritty Comeback
Alexander Zverev put a firm stop to Alexei Popyrin’s title defence at the National Bank Open in Toronto, delivering a composed and tactical comeback on Monday evening.
The top seed, and Germany’s tennis powerhouse, clawed his way back after dropping a close opening set, eventually sealing a 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-3 victory to march into the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000.
Zverev’s win didn’t just halt Popyrin’s unbeaten run in Canada, it also marked a personal milestone.
The 27-year-old became only the second active male player, after Novak Djokovic, to reach 75 semi-final appearances at the tour level. A solid mark of longevity and consistency in a competitive era.
The match had a dramatic start. Zverev had two set points in the opener but couldn’t convert. Frustration was written all over his face.
“I had to tell myself, even though I lost the first set, I thought we were both playing actually quite well,” said Zverev, who now boasts a flawless 4-0 record against Popyrin in their Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes.
“I did one or two mistakes in the end [of the tie-break], and I was very unlucky with the net cord on set point.
But all in all, I thought it was a high level, and if I continue playing that way, I’m going to get my chances, and that’s what I did.” And he did just that.
Zverev came out firing in the second and third sets. He broke early both times, surging to 3-0 leads and never letting go of the momentum. His performance was sharp, assertive, and grounded in a strategic return game that neutralised Popyrin’s powerful serve.
The Aussie, who won hearts with his Cinderella run in Montreal last year, had been unbeaten at the event—9-0—until he ran into the Zverev wall. He nicked the first set with a lucky net cord volley that trickled over, but his luck quickly faded under pressure from the German.
There was a hiccup from Zverev late in the second set, a brief loss of serve, but he responded with a dominant five-game stretch, taking back control and never looking back.
“I had to find a return position in the beginning because he’s a very big server, and when he gets into a rhythm, it’s very difficult against him,” Zverev added.
“I did that in the second and third sets. Honestly, I can’t complain about much. I played one loose game on my serve in the second set, but apart from that, it was pretty good.”
And the numbers back him. Zverev won a staggering 82% of his first-serve points and closed out the match with style, dropping a pinpoint volley that left the crowd in awe. He also won 16 of his last 17 service points, underlining his sharp focus during crunch moments.
His next challenge? Either Karen Khachanov or rising American Alex Michelsen.
One thing’s clear, Alexander Zverev is back in rhythm, and he’s doing it in style on Canadian soil. UK fans watching from afar will see this as a significant confidence boost ahead of the US Open stretch.
