Zverev Triumphs Over ‘Kryptonite’ Medvedev in Paris
German ace set to clash with Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals
October 31, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Alexander Zverev seeks to reclaim his Rolex Paris Masters title.
By ATP Staff
In a heart-pounding encounter, Alexander Zverev defied the odds on Friday, saving two match points to knock out his long-time rival Daniil Medvedev and keep his title defense alive at the Rolex Paris Masters.
This thrilling victory marked the end of Zverev’s five-match losing streak against Medvedev, setting him up for a semi-final duel against second seed Jannik Sinner, who previously topped him in last week’s Vienna final. As for Medvedev, this defeat dashed his hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals.
“What I’m most happy about is saving those match points and maintaining my courage. I took charge in the crucial moments to secure the win,” Zverev shared in an interview on the court.
From the outset, a focused Medvedev adhered to his signature deep return strategy, prompting Zverev to counter with serve-and-volley tactics and clever drop shots. After a fall in the eighth game that raised concerns about his left hamstring, Zverev pivoted his approach to unleash his powerful groundstrokes, testing Medvedev from the baseline.
“I felt I started strong, but I was making poor tactical decisions,” Zverev admitted. “I believed I could turn the match around because I felt great about my shots. But initially, my gameplay was subpar. After tweaking my tactics, I broke back, especially after he gifted me a break at 1-0 in the second set.”
With two match points looming against him at 4-5 in the final set, Zverev remained composed, converting a nervous overhead. He did falter on a similar chance at 5-3 in the tie-break, but in a critical moment where he saved match points, the 28-year-old clinched a vital Deuce point following a spectacular 27-shot rally, finishing with a net cord winner. Ultimately, he sealed his nail-biting win in a seesaw tie-break, collapsing in relief on the court after a grueling two hours and thirty minutes.
Pure power 💥 @AlexZverev battles back from a set down vs. Medvedev to set up a semi-final against Sinner 🍿 @RolexPMasters | #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/b2yptYboPv
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 31, 2025
Zverev now has an 8-14 record against Medvedev in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and looks ahead to improve his 4-4 tie with Sinner.
“Daniil is like my kryptonite; I have struggled against him,” Zverev chuckled. “He’s had my number for the last few years. So, I’m extremely happy with this win. Jannik and I had an incredible match last Sunday, so I’m eager to face him again and hopefully create an unforgettable showdown.”
Overall, Zverev recorded nine unforced errors with his backhand while Medvedev made 23. However, on the forehand side, Medvedev dominated with 19 winners compared to just 12 errors, while Zverev landed 14 forehand winners but racked up 21 unforced errors.
