Alexander Zverev suffered a surprise defeat in the second round of the National Bank Open in Montreal after losing to Tallon Griekspoor in a hard-fought three-set match. Griekspoor came from behind to win 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4, earning one of the biggest victories of his career.
Zverev entered the tournament as the top seed after several leading players, including Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, withdrew from the competition. As the highest-ranked player in the draw, Zverev received a first-round bye and began his campaign directly in the second round against Griekspoor.
The opening set was closely contested, with both players holding their serves and creating very few chances to break. The set was decided in a tie-break, where Zverev played confidently and won 7-3, taking the first set after a tense battle.
Griekspoor responded brilliantly in the second set. He raised the level of his game, put pressure on Zverev’s serve, and broke him twice. The Dutch player controlled the rallies with powerful groundstrokes and won the set 6-2, forcing the match into a deciding third set.
The final set remained competitive as both players fought for every point. Griekspoor stayed calm during the crucial moments and earned an important service break late in the set. He then held his serve to seal a 6-4 victory, completing an impressive comeback and securing a place in the third round.
After the match, Griekspoor described the victory as one of the most special moments of his career. He thanked his coaching team for standing by him during a difficult season and said their support helped him regain his confidence. The emotional win marked a major achievement against one of the world’s top-ranked players.
Although Zverev was disappointed with the result, he still holds a strong record against Griekspoor. The German leads their head-to-head meetings with nine victories, while Griekspoor has now won three matches against him.
Griekspoor’s victory is considered one of the biggest upsets of this year’s National Bank Open and gives him valuable confidence as he continues his run in the tournament. Tennis fans will now be watching to see if he can build on this memorable performance and challenge for a place in the later rounds.