Zverev suffered a shocking three-set upset and discussed his retirement timeline: another ten years.

Zverev has started to reflect on his future. Following a devastating Australian Open loss and his return to the court, the German star confessed he is aware his tennis career has a finite timeline, yet he aspires to compete for ten more years.

Despite originally scheduling an earlier return, his withdrawal from the Rotterdam Open postponed his comeback. Upon his competitive return in Acapulco, the world No. 4 performed strongly, defeating Moutet 6-2, 6-4 on the same court where he triumphed in 2021. However, it was his post-match comments that truly captured attention. In an on-court interview with Tennis TV, Zverev spoke about fatherhood and the length of his career.

When asked if having his daughter by his side made him more relaxed, the 28-year-old spoke candidly about his future in the sport, "Yes, but overall this year I want to enjoy tennis more. You know, I'm getting older, I know this won't last forever. I certainly hope I can play for another ten years, but what's more important is to enjoy the competition, and that applies this week as well."

Adding a heartwarming touch to his Acapulco campaign was the rare public appearance of his four-year-old daughter, Myla, accompanying him. Despite his global fame, Zverev has strived to shield his daughter from the spotlight, hoping she can have as normal a childhood as possible.

Before his first-round match, Zverev discussed balancing fatherhood with professional tennis, "I try to keep her away from the spotlight. I want her to be a regular child, living a normal life. I try to keep her off social media, away from that 'Instagram' kind of thing. It's wonderful that she can come to the site more and more."

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Zverev has addressed retirement. In a May 2025 interview with Adidas, the winner of 24 ATP Tour titles stated clearly that passion, not money or fame, drives his professional decisions, "I've always said I don't play for money, nor for off-court benefits. I play this sport because I genuinely love it. I love competing, and I love training. You know how much I enjoy training. The moment I stop enjoying it, I won't continue. I won't keep playing for any other reason. I'll continue only because I truly want to play."

Yet, amidst all this, his "journey of enjoyment" in Acapulco came to an abrupt halt. The German had prepared in Mexico for over a week prior, marking his third tournament of the season—he began his 2026 campaign at the United Cup. With family support and a renewed mindset, the former champion appeared determined to rediscover joy in the grueling tour circuit.

On Wednesday night, Kecmanovic secured the most significant victory of his career in the round of 16, defeating world No. 4 Zverev. In a high-quality, fiercely contested battle lasting 2 hours and 35 minutes, the Serbian prevailed 6-3, 6(3)-7, 7-6(4).

This was a breakthrough moment for the 26-year-old. Entering the match, his record against top-five players stood at 0-11, but this time he turned the tables, defeating the 2022 Acapulco champion to claim his first career win over a top-five opponent and advance to the quarterfinals.

"It feels amazing, especially because the last few years have been really tough," said Kecmanovic, currently ranked No. 84. "So I'm happy things are finally starting to go my way."

From the outset of the match, Kecmanovic was exceptionally sharp from the baseline. His clean, early-struck backhand was particularly effective, exploiting Zverev's deep return position to create wide angles. The German's usually reliable two-handed backhand wavered under pressure, resulting in 17 unforced errors compared to just 6 from the Serbian. For Zverev, fatigue and faltering in crucial moments proved costly, bringing his Acapulco run to a sudden end.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)