ALEXANDER ZVEREV JOINS FORMER GRAND SLAM SEMIFINALIST IN ROTTERDAM DOUBLES DRAW

He’s now back in Europe, preparing for a busy schedule with three tournaments lined up in quick succession.

Alexander Zverev came agonisingly close to booking a place in his fourth Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, pushing the match all the way after recovering from two sets down in the semi-finals. Despite forcing a deciding set, he ultimately fell just short against Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set battle.

While the defeat was a frustrating one, Zverev has little intention of lingering on it. The world number five is back on court next week at the Rotterdam Open, where he has entered both the singles and doubles draws.

Zverev to form new doubles partnership in the Netherlands

Zverev will not be lining up alongside his regular doubles partner Marcelo Melo this time. Instead, he has opted for a new combination, teaming up with Karen Khachanov, the current world number 18 and a former two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist.

Although this will be their first outing together as a doubles pair, the two are very familiar with each other on tour. Zverev and Khachanov have faced off nine times in singles competition, including high-profile meetings at Masters events and the Olympic final in Tokyo.

Strong field adds intrigue to Rotterdam doubles draw

Zverev and Khachanov are not the only singles-led pairing to catch the eye in Rotterdam. The doubles entry list also features an unexpected alliance between Alexander Bublik and Hubert Hurkacz, alongside several established specialist teams.

Both Zverev and Khachanov bring doubles pedigree to the partnership. Zverev has previously lifted ATP titles alongside his brother Mischa, while Khachanov claimed a major doubles crown at the Madrid Open in 2023 with Andrey Rublev. However, neither boasts a strong record in doubles finals, something they will be keen to improve if their Rotterdam run gathers momentum.

With the tournament getting underway on Monday, February 9, all eyes will be on whether this new partnership can make an immediate impact against some of the best doubles teams on the indoor circuit.

Read more:

・Jessica Pegula explains why Coco Gauff’s ‘mini meltdown’ didn’t happen in locker room

・Andy Roddick shares his thoughts on the state of tennis after the Australian Open

・Jennifer Capriati messages Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic after their Australian Open final

2026-02-04T13:22:12Z