Zverev Advances to Semifinals After Comeback Victory in Toronto

TORONTO, Canada — Alexander Zverev, the top seed at the National Bank Open, came from behind to defeat No. 18 Alexei Popyrin of Australia 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-3 on Monday night, securing his spot in the semifinals of the prestigious ATP tournament.

Zverev, a former champion in Montreal, faced a tough battle as Popyrin won the first set in a tiebreak. The match took place in front of a lively crowd at Sobeys Stadium, where tension mounted when Zverev, frustrated by the outcome of the first set, fired the ball out of the court.

“A few years ago it would have been a broken racket, for sure,” Zverev said with a smile about his emotional outburst. “But I don’t break rackets anymore.” After regrouping, the 28-year-old German quickly took control in the second set, breaking Popyrin early on.

In the decider, Zverev maintained his momentum, losing just three points on serve in the final set. He finished with 12 aces and an impressive first-serve win percentage of 82.

Zverev, currently ranked No. 3 in the ATP rankings, is aiming for his 25th career title and eighth victory at an ATP 1000 Masters event. “These are the biggest tournaments that we have on the ATP Tour,” he said. “It’s a privilege to play in these kinds of events.”

Popyrin’s nine-match winning streak in Canada ended with the loss, but the Australian remained positive. “It was a high-level match,” he said. “He’s Number 3 in the world for a reason.”

With this win, Zverev advanced to his 75th ATP semifinal, joining Novak Djokovic as the only active male players to achieve this milestone. His next opponent will be 11th seed Karen Khachanov, who defeated No. 26 Alex Michelsen of the U.S. in the quarterfinals.

The tournament continues with quarterfinal matchups on Tuesday, featuring American favorites such as Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton.