‘Second Service’ tennis news: Alexander Zverev to miss Davis Cup Finals, Wawrinka defeats world number three Ruud in Basel
Looking back on the big tennis news in our exclusive ‘Second Service’… Alexander Zverev set to miss crucial Davis Cup Finals ties, as Stan Wawrinka rolled back the years against Casper Ruud in Basel, and more.
To start this tennis news roundup, Alexander Zverev and his struggles with injury continue as he was left out of Germany’s Davis Cup team to face Canada.
Zverev, the world number six, has been out of action since June after injuring his ankle during his semi final match against Rafael Nadal at the French Open.
Zverev’s season seems to be over as the injury will also rule him out of the Paris Masters in November and the finale of the Davis Cup in Malaga, if Germany qualify.
”At the moment it doesn’t look like Alexander Zverev will be ready for action again until the Davis Cup”, read a statement from the German Tennis Federation.
In other tennis news, Stan Wawrinka rolled back the years with a terrific straight sets victory over world number three Casper Rudd at the Basel Open
Wawrinka, competing at his home event for a 15th time, delighted the home crowd en route to a 6-4 6-4 victory in one hour and 18 minutes.
The three time Grand Slam champion was able to convert both of his break point opportunities deep in both sets before serving out the match with ease. He won 93% of his first service points and hit 28 winners which Ruud had no answer for.
”It’s super special. A lot of emotion being back here in Basel with the Swiss fans”, he said in his post match interview.
Read what else he had to say here.
Furthermore, Jack Draper has overtaken Andy Murray in the world rankings to become the British number 3.
Draper achieved a career-high ranking of 45, leapfrogging former world number one Murray in the process. The latter now falls to number 49 in the world.
Draper, who recently lost out to world number one Carlos Alcaraz in three close sets in Basel, is now only behind Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans in the British rankings.
Jack Draper started the year ranked world number 265 and has since made his debut inside the top 100 and now the top 50. Norrie is ranked number 13 after moving ahead of Matteo Berrettini while Evans remains world number 26.
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