Alexander Zverev became the first player to confirm his place in the semi-finals of the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Zverev defeated Joao Fonseca in three sets to continue his impressively consistent start to the 2026 season.
The German now holds an 18-5 record this season, which includes three semi-final appearances at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and the Miami Open.
While on press duties at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Zverev named the most ‘annoying’ opponent of his entire career.
Alexander Zverev names his most ‘annoying’ opponent
Zverev was asked many quickfire questions in an interview with Eurosport France, including his most ‘annoying’ opponent.
While many would assume the German would opt for either Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Zverev actually named another top star on the ATP Tour.
Do you really believe that Alexander Zverev can win a Grand Slam title?
“For me, a period of time was maybe Daniil (Medvedev),” said Zverev. “I didn’t like playing him, I was losing a lot.”
Medvedev has beaten Zverev 14 times from their 22 matches on the ATP Tour, including five of their last six matches.
Zverev’s victory against Medvedev at the 2025 Paris Masters was his first win against the star since the 2023 Cincinnati Open.
The German’s recent record against Sinner, meanwhile, has seen him lose his last seven matches in a row.
Zverev’s record against Alcaraz is much better, with six wins from their 13 matches, although he’s won just one of his last five.
Alexander Zverev deserves credit for his performances recently
Zverev has often found himself in the firing line with fans, mainly due to his inability to win his maiden Grand Slam.
However, the German has been putting in performances over the last year which more than show he’s one of the most consistent players on the Tour.
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Having already secured two Masters semi-finals in 2026, Zverev has now reached the semifinals in six of the last seven Masters 1000 events.
The Shanghai Masters is the only Masters where Zverev fell short, and even then he was defeated by eventual champion Valentin Vacherot.
Zverev is comfortably the world number three for a reason, and he currently sits over 800 points above Novak Djokovic.