'Terrible' Zverev crashes out in sultry Shanghai

SHANGHAI — World No 3 Alexander Zverev said he was playing "terrible tennis" after he was knocked out of the Rolex Shanghai Masters by France's Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.

In stiflingly humid conditions, the 54th-ranked Rinderknech came back from a set down to stun an increasingly rattled Zverev into submission.

It is the second time the Frenchman has beaten him, after bundling him out of Wimbledon earlier this year.

A despondent Zverev told reporters that the match had been "nothing unusual for me these days, unfortunately".

"Just no confidence, no belief in the shots," he said, visibly emotional.

"My year has been terrible, I'm just playing terrible tennis all round."

The German had injured his big toe towards the end of his last match in Shanghai, but on Monday showed no sign of discomfort as he broke Rinderknech in the third game with a forehand.

He nearly went ahead early in the second set, but Rinderknech recovered his composure and broke in the fourth game.

"I'm not really sure (how I managed to turn the game around)," he said.

"I fought like hell, tried everything. (Zverev) is such a good player. I knew it was going to be a battle.

"Starting in the second set, I was able to be offensive at the right moment, in a smarter way," he said.

Keeping up the momentum, in the third set, the 30-year-old broke in the third game.

Zverev had to pause to change his shoes, because sweat was pouring out of them, as spectators wafted fans and wore cool packs on their foreheads to counter the suffocating humidity.

But switching footwear was not enough to save the German, and a double fault in the seventh game led to Rinderknech breaking again.

Holding with an ace to win, the Frenchman lolled his body in delighted disbelief, then danced around the court in glee.

Top seeds vanquished

Zverev's loss meant that Serbia's world No 5 Novak Djokovic was the top-ranked player as the tournament headed into the last 16 on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the competition lost both defending champion, Italian and world No 2 Jannik Sinner, who was forced to retire with extreme leg cramps, and fourth-ranked Taylor Fritz of United States.

World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Shanghai event at the last minute to rest.

After Djokovic, Australian Alex de Minaur is the next highest seed through to the fourth round, comfortably getting past Poland's Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5.

De Minaur will next meet Portugal's Nuno Borges, who, on Monday, put an end to the hopes of home favorite Shang Juncheng 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3.

Daniil Medvedev, the 2019 Shanghai champion, is through too, after beating Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6 (5).

"I haven't had a title in two years, so (I'm) not a favorite yet, but I will take it match by match, and I'm happy with the way I've played so far," he said.

The Russian broke early to take the first set, before edging a sweat-soaked tiebreak in the second.

Medvedev said he relished the conditions.

"Whenever it's above 28 and humid, I suffer and many players don't. Here, everyone suffers," he grinned.

He will once again take on US teenager Learner Tien, who defeated him last week in the China Open semifinal.

The 19-year-old beat Britain's Cameron Norrie 7-6 (4), 6-3 to make the last 16 on Monday.

ATP considers heat policy

The governing body of men's tennis could consider a formal heat rule after a string of retirements at the Shanghai Masters blew the draw wide open, with top players wilting in the soaring temperatures and punishing humidity.

Sinner's title defense ended in agony on Sunday, when the Italian struggled to walk due to cramp in his right thigh, before he eventually retired in the deciding set of his third-round clash with Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

Djokovic vomited during his encounter with Yannick Hanfmann while Denmark's Holger Rune was heard asking an official during a medical timeout in his match with France's Ugo Humbert if players had to "die on court".

"It's the same for every player out on the court, but it's brutal," Djokovic said after he battled to victory.

"It's brutal when you have over 80 percent humidity day after day, particularly for the guys playing during the day with the heat, with the sun, it's even more brutal."

The need for a formal ATP heat rule was first flagged in August in Cincinnati, when Rinderknech collapsed on court during a match in sweltering conditions, before eventually handing Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime the victory.

Under ATP regulations, decisions on the suspension of play due to adverse weather conditions — including extreme heat — lie with an on-site ATP supervisor, who coordinates with medical teams at the venue, as well as local authorities.

"In parallel, the ATP Medical Services team implements several measures in cases of extreme heat, to help protect player health during competition," the governing body told reporters.

However, the elite body said it was open to change.

"This remains under active review and additional measures including the implementation of an official heat policy are currently being evaluated in consultation with players, tournaments, and medical experts," it added.

"Player safety remains a top priority for the ATP."

AFP