Alexander Zverev endured a challenging 24 hours in Rome, marked by an embarrassing incident at a renowned restaurant and a stunning exit from the Italian Open. The world number three was recently turned away from Zuma, a popular Japanese eatery in central Rome, because he lacked a reservation. Reports indicate that the restaurant staff failed to recognize the German tennis star when he arrived with his brother Mischa Zverev and a friend for dinner.
The awkward moment was reportedly observed by former Italian politician Andrea Ruggieri, who later recounted the incident on the TennisTalker podcast. According to Ruggieri, Zverev and his group were left waiting outside before eventually deciding to leave and dine elsewhere. The story quickly spread across Italian media outlets. Later, local newspaper La Repubblica contacted the restaurant for a response, but the establishment reportedly declined to comment on the situation.
Alexander Zverev Misses Out on Italian Open Quarterfinals After Restaurant Setback
The difficult evening for Alexander Zverev was followed by an even more disappointing result on the court. The German star suffered a shock defeat against Italy's Luciano Darderi in the Italian Open. Darderi won the match 1-6, 7-6(10), 6-0 after producing an incredible comeback in front of the home crowd. Zverev appeared in complete control early in the match, dominating the opening set. He also moved close to victory in the second set and even held multiple match points during the tie-break. However, Darderi remained calm under pressure. He managed to save four match points to force a deciding set. The momentum completely shifted after that moment.
In the final set, Darderi overwhelmed the two-time Rome champion and sealed the biggest victory of his career. The Italian player celebrated his first-ever win against a top-10 opponent and also reached his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
After the match, Darderi admitted that playing in front of the home supporters made him nervous but also gave him extra energy throughout the contest. He said that the crowd pushed him to keep fighting even when he was close to losing.
The 24-year-old also became only the second player besides Jannik Sinner to defeat Zverev at an ATP Masters 1000 event since Shanghai. Meanwhile, the defeat ended Zverev's hopes of reaching the quarterfinal stage at all five Masters 1000 tournaments during the 2026 season, a rare achievement previously accomplished by legends like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
