The Laver Cup is living up to its reputation of delivering excitement and surprises! With top-tier players from around the globe gathering for this prestigious event, fans were bracing for some jaw-dropping moments. But no one quite saw this one coming: Alexander Zverev, one of the heavyweights, fell short against a lower-ranked Taylor Fritz, leaving fans stunned.

The German tennis sensation and World No. 2 player lost in straight sets 6-4, 7-5, to Fritz in the Group stage of the tournament.  Fritz rallied from 2-4 down in the second set to a grand triumph in the match that lasted for one hour and 57 minutes. This also established the dominance of Team World over Team Europe, which is on course to opening an 8-4 lead in Berlin. The incredible performance of Fritz, meanwhile, was shared by the Laver Cup organizers as well. 

The Laver Cup’s official Instagram account did not fail to laud the American star for her skills. Sharing a picture of Fritz, they wrote, “Fritz gives Team World the lead with a straight set win over Zverev.” The German’s performance did not just put his team in the back seat but has also garnered him immense flak. 

As soon as the above post gained traction, several users took to the comment section to criticize the star player. They also lauded the dominance of Fritz and issued some suggestions to Zverev for the upcoming matches. 

Alexander Zverev receives immense backlash for his performance against Taylor Fritz

Taking to Instagram, one user highlighted the recent performances of Zverev and against Fritz and wrote, “3rd time in a row Zverev loses to Fritz. WTH is up with him.” Remember, Zverev was well ahead of Fritz in the head-to-head ahead of Wimbledon this year. However, after Fritz surged from two sets down to a victory at Wimbledon’s fourth round, he did not seem to see an end. 

The American star went on to defeat Zverev in a four-setter match at the US Open quarterfinals. With his latest victory at the Laver Cup, he has not just won three consecutive encounters but has also surpassed Alexander Zverev in the head-to-head tally with a 6-5 lead. Several other users joined in with similar sentiments. 

Responding to the post, one user wrote, “Captain America Delivers.” Interestingly, Fritz has demonstrated incredible skills on the courts lately. His win against Zverev on Saturday helped him notch his seventh victory against a Top 10 opponent in 2024. Besides, his sensational performance at the US Open this year, where he advanced to the finals of a Grand Slam for the first time is gradually making him a fan favorite and a force to reckon with on the courts. Meanwhile, some users shared suggestions for Zverev. 

“Zverev should take some advice from Novak how to beat him,” a user wrote. Remember, Novak Djokovic and Fritz have played each other nine times on the ATP tour and the American has failed to win a single match against the Serbian Maestro. Interestingly, Zverev received some advice from Laver Cup founder and legendary player Roger Federer as well ahead of the match.

Earlier this week, Federer claimed Zverev lost because he wasn’t playing “offensively” in the US Open finals. The Swiss Maestro further advised him to keep playing aggressively to achieve success. More reactions followed on his latest defeat. 

Responding to the post, yet another user wrote, “Wtf. Fritz moving incredibly well and Zverev obviously being sick.” The German star was seen in visible trouble during the match. Zverev looked fatigued and was physically ailing during the match after each extended rally that kept him on a back foot during the match. He eventually failed to convert some opportunities in his favor and lost the match to Fritz. 

One more user simply highlighted Fritz’s vehement performance and wrote, “Fritz playing some great tennis these last few months.” As the Laver Cup progresses, it would be interesting to see if Team Europe can bounce back from the latest setbacks and do something exceptional to win the title.