Carlos Alcaraz gets honest about ‘feeling bad’ for Alexander Zverev in heartfelt message after reaching Cincinnati Open final

August 17, 2025

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Carlos Alcaraz issued a bittersweet and heartfelt message in the aftermath of his semifinal victory against Alexander Zverev at the ongoing 2025 Cincinnati Open. The Spaniard laid bare his happiness at reaching the final of the prestigious hardcourt event’s ATP Masters 1000 tournament, but at the same time, felt bad for his German opponent, who struggled physically during the match.

On Saturday, August 16, Alcaraz and Zverev, the World No. 2 and 3 respectively, locked horns on the Lindner Family Tennis Center’s P&G Center Court. The first set saw both players produce a high level of tennis, with the Spaniard clinching it 6-4. In the second though, it became apparent that the German wasn’t feeling at this best.

Despite taking a medical timeout, Alexander Zverev’s performance was severely hampered, while Carlos Alcaraz remained rock-solid. Ultimately, the ATP No. 2 secured progress to the final by winning the second set 6-3. In the aftermath of the result, the reigning Roland Garros champion wrote the following message on a courtside camera:

"Happy for the final but feeling bad for Sascha ☹️. Wish you all the best."

The win helps Alcaraz level his head-to-head against Zverev at 6-6.

Carlos Alcaraz speaks up about "difficult situation" of playing against Alexander Zverev in Cincinnati Open SF

Alexander Zverev (left) and Carlos Alcaraz (right) (Source: Getty)

After sealing victory against Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz shed light on how hard it was for him to maintain his focus knowing that his opponent was experiencing physical struggles.

"We started the match really good, playing good rallies, a good level of tennis. But then all of a sudden he started to feel bad. And then my focus, I was thinking about how he's feeling, besides focusing on myself and playing good tennis. It was a really difficult situation for me and I just wish him all the best," Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz is now set to face reigning No. 1 and defending Cincinnati Open champion Jannik Sinner in the final. The Spaniard leads the Italian 8-5 in the pair's head-to-head and has won five of their six most recent encounters. However, their latest clash, the men's singles final of this year's Wimbledon Championships, went Jannik Sinner's way.

Meanwhile, for Alexander Zverev, the physical issues he experienced in the final of the Cincinnati Open and during his semifinal win over Ben Shelton are bound to be concerning, especially considering that the 2025 US Open is just around the corner.

About the author

Sudipto is a Tennis journalist at Sportskeeda holding a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. He has an experience of 3+ years across the market research, travel, health, lifestyle and sports sectors.

Sudipto has followed Tennis since the early 2000s and stays up-to-date with the sport by following both active and former Tennis players, and seasoned journalists. He also follows ATP and WTA updates, watches documentaries and interviews of professionals, and only reads esteemed publications. He sources all information for his articles only from credible publications stays away from unsubstantiated claims. In just a matter of 3 months, he has gained a readership of almost 2 million at Sportskeeda!

Sudipto admires Rafael Nadal for his fiercely competitive on-court nature and his ability to make memorable comebacks after injury layoffs. The Spaniard may be the GOAT for him, but he also respects the accomplishments of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Beyond Tennis, Sudipto also has an interest in music, football, and video games alongside cooking and traveling.

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