Zverev reveals ‘most annoying’ rival ahead of Monte Carlo semi-final

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German star highlights unexpected opponent despite strong 2026 form

Alexander Zverev continued his impressive run at the Monte-Carlo Masters, becoming the first player to book a spot in the semi-finals after a three-set win over Joao Fonseca. The result underlines his consistency this season, where he now holds an 18-5 record.

The world number three has already reached semi-finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Miami Open in 2026, reinforcing his status as one of the most reliable performers on the ATP Tour right now.

Zverev picks Medvedev over Sinner and Alcaraz

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During a quickfire interview with Eurosport France, Zverev was asked to name the most “annoying” opponent he has faced in his career. While many might expect him to point to Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, the German instead chose Daniil Medvedev.

“For me, a period of time was maybe Daniil (Medvedev),” Zverev said. “I didn’t like playing him, I was losing a lot.” The head-to-head supports that view, with Medvedev leading 14-8 across their 22 meetings, including five wins in their last six encounters.

Consistency keeps Zverev among the elite

Despite ongoing scrutiny over his inability to win a Grand Slam title, Zverev’s recent results highlight his consistency at the highest level. His win over Medvedev at the 2025 Paris Masters ended a long drought against the Russian dating back to Cincinnati 2023.

Against other top rivals, the German has struggled more recently, losing his last seven matches to Sinner, while holding a more balanced record against Alcaraz with six wins from 13 meetings—though only one victory in their last five matches.

Zverev’s latest run means he has now reached the semi-finals in six of the last seven Masters 1000 events, with Shanghai the only exception, where he lost to eventual champion Valentin Vacherot. Currently ranked world number three, he sits more than 800 points ahead of Novak Djokovic, further underlining his consistency on tour.

Read more:

• Alexander Zverev joins Federer, Nadal and Djokovic with milestone
• Carlos Alcaraz reacts to Joao Fonseca’s forehand ranking, shares his own opinion
• Alexander Zverev ties historic mark after dominant victory over João Fonseca