The second round of the Australian Open : Alexander Zverev caught a used day

Five. Six. Seven. And even an eighth Time, hacked into Alexander Zverev tennis racket with unbridled force on the azure floor of the Rod Laver Arena. Then, he threw his completely destroy a working device carelessly to the side, as if everything had gone in the past 45 minutes so thoroughly wrong in his first round of the Australian Open, blamed his racket. "I was so angry, had to get out," said Zverev later. Helped it had to abreact when the score was 1:6 and 1:4 can hardly be so spectacular that the video clip struck rapidly on the Internet.

On this day, to him, would have helped nothing, because Zverev was one after that for sure. Angelique Kerber on the eve of the world experienced ranking fourth to gain a deep black day, and the next major setback when trying to get his first Grand Slam title. He lost to canadian Milos Raonic after two hours with 1:6, 1:6 and 6:7.

Zverev knew that it disappointed a hard day

"when I came to the place, I realized that this will be a hard day," said Zverev deep. Against the also serve towering Raonic, currently, after many injuries, the number 17 in the world, you can lose. Especially as Raonic had already promoted heavyweights such as Stan Wawrinka and Nick Kyrgios out of the tournament. But the way, how Zverev over long distances in this Match sold me, was terrifying. "I have generally played well," admitted the 21-year-old Hamburger, "especially in the first two sets, it was terrible."

Zverev was started with a Break against Raonic, but after that, he won not a single of his service games in the first set. Zverev had twelve break opportunities, Raonic took three. In the second pass, the almost identical image: Three Breaks for the Canadians, and after only an hour of play with 2:0 in sets. "So many Breaks have never happened to me before", said Zverev. 20 there were errors also in the end for him, Raonic hit 15 aces and up to 223 km/h fast.

Zverev nothing worked out for them, neither the charge nor the basic line. Raonic' game seems a little mechanical, but the 28-year-old canadian delivered again a strong performance: He controlled the baseline duels, varied but also a lot of and often sought the way to the grid. Zverev fremdelt, however, continued with the network game, tactically he had no aces up his Sleeve. "I've played, I've made a lot of things very well," said Raonic, who is coached by former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic: "I wanted to bring him out of balance." He can do and Zverev didn't know what to do for a long time.

Federer: Zverev on Monday, number three

He said in the direction of his Box, where his coach Ivan Lendl sat behind his dark mirrored sunglasses, motionless. Raonic played just shut his Plan down, often hit the lines, and was also the edge with the power in the League. Zverev to drive everything to a white heat. In the third set, Zverev began, however, and it is the game, which had been expected in the run-up between the two giants. Zverev had at least discovered his fighting spirit again, but Raonic remained stable. When the score was 4:5 the Canadians had awarded at the time of impact Zverev two match balls, however. It remained tight and the Tiebreak had to decide. Again, Raonic forced his opponent with a nasty slice balls deep in the knee. Finally, he converted his third match point with a forehand volley.

seemed So hopeless his situation long, would Zverev can, the match with the third set still turning. But apparently he believed that yesterday never to his winning chance. "I have reached the Tiebreak at all is a miracle," he said: "Even if I had won the third set, I don't think I would have won the Match." Champions sound so different, but Zverev looked tired, a little drained. Only 36 days after his victory in the Tour Finals in London its new season had started at the Hopman Cup in Perth. No two weeks of vacation, then the drag of the fitness basics started. "I had a lot of time for me," mused Zverev.

the second round of the Australian Open Angelique Kerber in the second round ice cold

as of Monday, he is still as number three in the world ranking list will be dumped, one place ahead of Roger Federer. But that was yesterday, no real consolation.