Shock for the top seed: Alexander Zverev’s struggles continue with early exit at Indian Wells

Tallon Griekspoor stuns top seed Alexander Zverev, knocking him out in his opening match at Indian Wells with a 4-6, 7-6[7-5], 7-6[7-5] victory. The German wasted multiple opportunities throughout the match – including a service game to close it out – and continues his poor run of form.

Since reaching the Australian Open final, Zverev has struggled with results, holding just a 4-4 record since then. He entered Indian Wells as the tournament’s No. 1 seed following World No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal, but that proved little advantage as he suffered an early upset.

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First Set

Zverev showed some rust at the start of the match, struggling with his usual serving consistency despite his effectiveness. While he won 81% of his service points, he landed just 50% of his first serves – well below his usual numbers, where he typically surpasses 70%.

Despite this, ‘Sascha’ didn’t need his best level to take control. He saved a couple of break points early on and converted his first opportunity in the fifth game to break Griekspoor. No further break chances came for either player, and the top seed secured the set 6-4.

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Griekspoor had solid serving stats in the first set (73% first serves in, winning 74% of them), but he faltered in the key moments. Zverev capitalized on both his break chances and saved the only one he faced.

Second Set

This time, the script flipped. Griekspoor’s serve slightly declined, while Zverev improved his first-serve percentage but struggled with effectiveness. The Dutchman took the initiative, proving better in the key moments. He saved two early break points and then broke to race to a 3-0 lead.

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Griekspoor was up 5-2 but faltered when serving for the set, allowing Zverev back into the match. The World No. 2 broke twice in a row and had a 6-5 lead with a chance to close out the win on serve. However, his lack of assertiveness in clutch moments resurfaced, and he failed to hold, sending the set into a tiebreak. Griekspoor seized the momentum and edged out the tiebreak 7-5.

Third Set

The deciding set brought the match’s highest tension, with Griekspoor sensing his chance for a huge win, particularly as Zverev’s serve showed more vulnerability. Back-to-back breaks in the third and fourth games kept the match on edge.

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While the Dutchman held his service games comfortably, Zverev found himself under pressure repeatedly. At 5-5, Griekspoor broke again and stepped up to serve for the match. The most tense moments came in this 12-minute game, with the Dutchman dropping four match points and Zverev taking the break on his fifth chance. The victory was 4-6, 7-6[7-5], 7-6[7-5]

Griekspoor now advances to the third round, where he will face 29th seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Meanwhile, the top half of the draw opens up for the remaining contenders.

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