Alexander Zverev's hopes for a Vienna triumph were dashed as he suffered a loss to his tennis buddy, Andrej Rublev, marking their third encounter this year.

Image credits: social media

The quarterfinal showdown in Vienna on Friday resulted in a thrilling 1:6, 7:6 (7:5), 3:6 victory for the Russian Rublev, leading to Zverev's exit from the tournament.

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Despite his Tokyo Olympics victory in 2021, Zverev struggled to find a solution to Rublev's powerful baseline play, leading to a difficult start and early breaks in the match.

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Zverev had suffered his third defeat by Rublev this year compared to two victories from Vienna two years prior. This defeat marked yet another disappointment after Zverev won that tournament two years prior.

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Zverev remains in contention to qualify for the ATP Finals, the season-end event featuring eight of the greatest players of 2018, as he currently ranks seventh globally.

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The ATP Finals are set to commence in Turin on November 12, with the final qualification spots to be determined at the Masters-1000 tournament in Paris-Bercy the following week.

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In the face of Rublev's relentless play, Zverev found himself struggling but showed resilience by fighting back, ultimately winning the second set in a tiebreak after trailing 0:3.

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Despite the spirited fightback and set win, Zverev was unable to maintain his momentum in the third set, promptly losing his serve and falling behind Rublev.

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Zverev's focus now shifts to the ATP Finals in Turin, where he hopes to secure his spot among the world's elite players and potentially have another chance to face his friend Rublev on the big stage.

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