Arthur Rinderknech stuns Zverev with comeback in Shanghai Masters 2025 Por Carolina Costa
4 min de leitura
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French tennis player Arthur Rinderknech, aged 30, defeated German Alexander Zverev, the third seed, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, on Monday (6) in the round of 32 at the Shanghai Masters 1000 in China.
The match, played at the Central Stadium, lasted about two hours and marked Rinderknech’s second victory over Zverev in 2025, following their Wimbledon clash.
Rinderknech converted three of six break points and improved his first serve accuracy to 71%, securing his place in the round of 16.
Zverev, who led the first set, made unforced errors and saw his winning streak halted in the Asian tournament.
- Rinderknech records 23 wins this season, surpassing his personal best.
- The Frenchman faces Jiri Lehecka in the round of 16, aiming for his third Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
- With this result, Rinderknech will return to the ATP top 50 next Monday.
Recent performance of the players
Alexander Zverev entered the match with 48 wins in 68 games this season, including a title in Munich against Ben Shelton. The German advanced in his opener, beating Valentin Royer 6-4, 6-4, but suffered a toe sprain late in that match, possibly affecting his performance.
At Roland Garros, Zverev reached the semifinals but lost to Carlos Alcaraz, and on hard courts, he amassed 24 wins in 32 matches this year.
Rinderknech advanced past Hamad Medjedovic via retirement in the second round and defeated Alex Michelsen 6-3, 6-4, showing consistency with 7 aces against the American.
Match details in Shanghai
The first set ended 6-4 for Zverev, who served 7 aces and converted one of seven break points. Rinderknech leveled the match in the second set, breaking Zverev’s serve at 3-3 and closing 6-3 after 45 minutes.
In the third set, the Frenchman gained momentum with early breaks, winning 66% of return points and totaling 83 points against Zverev’s 66.
Zverev committed 17 double faults compared to Rinderknech’s 7 and saw his second serve win rate drop to 53%, while the Frenchman maintained 78%.
This victory marks Rinderknech’s third top-10 win in 2025, including Ben Shelton and Zverev in July on London grass.
Rinderknech vs. Zverev head-to-head
The two faced off for the second time, with Rinderknech maintaining a 2-0 head-to-head, both in majors this year.
At Wimbledon, the Frenchman won 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 in a 4-hour-40-minute marathon on Centre Court.
On hard courts for the first time in Shanghai, the match was shorter but showcased the Frenchman’s resilience, saving 6 of 7 break points overall.
Zverev, an Australian Open finalist in January, seeks recovery after early exits in New York and London.
Match statistics breakdown
Rinderknech led with 7 aces against Zverev’s 7 but excelled in service points, scoring 58 to the German’s 48.
The Frenchman won 16 games to Zverev’s 11, breaking serve at key moments, such as the fifth game of the third set.
Zverev, with 69% first serve points, struggled on returns, saving only 4 of 7 break points faced.
The match saw 149 points played, with Rinderknech winning 83, including an 8-point streak to close the match.
Rinderknech’s tournament journey
The 30-year-old entered as a lucky loser after Medjedovic’s withdrawal due to humidity but capitalized with straight sets over Michelsen.
In the round of 16, he faces Czech Jiri Lehecka, ranked 37th, who defeated Cameron Norrie 7-5, 6-4.
Rinderknech has 10 wins in 24 hard-court matches this year, improving returns and reducing unforced errors to 22 in this match.
This advance could lift his ranking to 48th, his best since March.
Zverev’s season under review
The 28-year-old German has a 48-20 record this season but faces inconsistency after the Melbourne final, lost to Jannik Sinner.
In Shanghai, he sought revenge for July’s loss but missed 3 of 6 break points and had a 6-game winning streak snapped.
Zverev, third in the Race to Turin, needs points for the ATP Finals, where he won in 2018 and 2021.
His next target is the ATP 500 in Beijing, facing Lorenzo Sonego in the opener.
