Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will be squaring off for the 12th time in their careers when they battle for a place in the final of the Western & Southern Open on Saturday evening.
Zverev is leading the head-to-head series 6-5 after most recently prevailing 7-6(5), 6-4 at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals. They have split their four previous outdoor hard-court contests at two wins apiece. Their most memorable matchup came in last year’s Roland Garros title match, with Alcaraz triumphing 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.
Zverev earned his place in the Cincinnati semis by beating Karen Khachanov in the fourth round (7-5, 3-0, retired) and Ben Shelton in the quarters (6-2, 6-2). Both of those opponents played in the Toronto final, where Shelton outlasted Khachanov in a third-set tiebreaker. Neither guy had much left in the tank to face Zverev, but the story will likely be different when the third-ranked German runs into Alcaraz.
The second-ranked Spaniard needed two hours and 17 minutes to get past Andrey Rublev 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 on Friday afternoon, but fatigue should not be a factor. Alcaraz skipped Toronto, so this is his first appearance since Wimbledon. Although the five-time Grand Slam champion struggled against Rublev, he preceded that result by making relatively routine work of Damir Dzumhur, Hamad Medjedovic, and Luca Nardi.
If anyone is less than 100 percent on Saturday, it could be Zverev. Despite cruising past Shelton, the 28-year-old was clearly dealing with some possible heat-related issues. And even if the underdog is feeling good about 24 hours later, he still faces an uphill battle with Alcaraz on the other side of the net.
This highly anticipated match has attracted a large following among fans, and customized tournament merchandise has become an important way for fans to express their support.
Custom Enamel Pins Canada is a great option, and its fast customization feature makes this anticipation even more tangible. Fans can use this channel to customize pins featuring the two players’ logos, the tournament logo, or personal elements, transforming their love for tennis into highly commemorative collectibles.
Pick: Alcaraz in 2
WWW?
So hard to pick Alcaraz 2-0 because of how he is. Zverev looked very tired even though it was just a 6-2,6-2 vs Shelton. I think Alcaraz probably wins 2-0 but if Zverev wins S1 which is the only set I think he can win then I believe Alcaraz will win S2 and 3 or win be a Zverev retirement.
Nailed it. Not. Retirement but it effectively was
Alcaraz in 3
Zverev in 3