ATP Tournament in Doha, Round of 16, Wednesday, 22.02.2023
New tournament, new luck! Alexander Zverev continues to search for his form, good that he still has some time until the next Grand Slam. Will it be the Qatar Open that makes his knot burst?
On Wednesday, he has to play a dangerous veteran in the round of 16. Why I think his opponent will win the set, why the German is slightly ahead at Bwin and why I generally expect a close match, I will now reveal in my Zverev Murray tip.
Alexander Zverev must have known before the turn of the year: 2023 won’t be easy. After injuring himself so badly at last year’s French Open, the comeback was met with subdued expectations.
Zverev did not see himself as a co-favourite at the Australian Open, but had not actually intended to be eliminated in the 2nd round against Michael Mmoh. He defeated Juan Pablo Varillas in five sets, but it was all over against the American.
He was defeated in four sets by the outsider, a great disappointment. A little later in Rotterdam, the Olympic champion was unable to fight back.
After a close 6-4, 7-6 against Soon-woo Kwon, he faced Tallon Griekspoor. 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, the class is just not yet enough to put such a “normal opponent” in his place like before.
Not to forget, of course, the two very changeable performances in the Davis Cup defeat against Switzerland. Now he has high hopes for the Qatar Open, where he will serve for the first time in 2023.
For his very first match, Zverev will not start until the round of 16, the draw has come up with a very special number: It’s against Andy Murray! At the Australian Open 2016, when Zverev was just 18, their paths crossed for the first time.
Back then he lost without a chance, in 2020 the second duel was lost much more narrowly at 6-3, 3-6, 5-7. Zverev then snatched the first point in Indian Wells two years ago, his 6-4, 7-6 showing how intense it was again here.
Our bookmakers seem to be happy with such a result, because the average odds show 1.60 to 2.30. Andy Murray is therefore not without a chance, and why should he be?
The 35-year-old wants to show everyone again in 2023, maybe even crack the world’s top 50 once more. While Zverev is playing in Doha for the first time, he is already familiar with this tournament.
He has reached the final four times and won the title twice, most recently in 2009. So it’s been a long time, but Murray is no longer as strong as he was in his prime.
Murray impressively showed how great his fighting qualities are in Down Under when he sent both Thanasi Kokkinakis and the great Matteo Berrettini home in five tough sets.
It was only against Roberto Bautista-Agut that he finally came to an end after losing 1:3. His start in Qatar did not go according to plan at first, but quickly improved. It took him a little while to get into the match against Lorenzo Sonego.
In the end, Murray won 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, hitting 91% of his first serves and only conceding one break. If he continues to serve this strongly on Wednesday, why shouldn’t he be able to embarrass Alexander Zverev?
My Zverev Murray tip
Alexander Zverev is nowhere near where he actually wants to be. Both in Melbourne and in Rotterdam, as well as in the Davis Cup, it showed that he simply hasn’t yet returned to his old aplomb.
With Andy Murray, of course, we know that on a good day, anything can happen. The veteran knows Doha, loves close matches and has already beaten Lorenzo Sonego. For this reason, my tip is also:
Murray will win at least one set!
