Alexander Zverev blasts 'absolute disgrace' after Alcaraz thrashing

Alexander Zverev has let rip at the ATP following the scheduling that he believes severely hindered his chances against Spaniard sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid Open final.

After beating Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic in successive matches to make Sunday's final, the 19-year-old prodigy blasted Zverev off the court on Sunday in a 6-3, 6-1 thrashing.

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Zverev, the defending champion who also won in Madrid in 2018, had no answer to the depth and power of Alcaraz's groundstrokes and was broken decisively in the sixth game of the first set and four times in the second.

The German was full of praise for Alcaraz following the match and took his defeat graciously.

However, Zverev certainly let his feeling known to the ATP about what he thought about the scheduling.

Zverev finished late in the morning following his quarter-final and semi-final matches, but was forced to back-up against Alcaraz in an afternoon final.

The teen sensation had been playing afternoon matches in the lead up to the final.

The German labelled the scheduling a 'disgrace' and claimed while it may not have changed the result, it certainly didn't help him.

"But one thing I have to say is that the ATP's job was an absolute disgrace this week. Two days ago I went to bed at 4am, 4:30am. Yesterday I went to bed at 5:20am," Zverev said.

“You know, if any normal person goes to bed one night at 4am, the next night at 5am, it will be a tough time just to be awake for them. And for me to play a final against Carlos Alcaraz, who for me is the best player in the world right now, in a Masters 1000 event, the next day, it is difficult.

“Today on court, I'm a little bit angry, I would say, because I had no coordination on my serve, I had no coordination on my groundstrokes. I missed two overheads that were super easy because I see the ball, and everything is moving in my eyes.

“I don't want to take anything away, and today obviously, even if I'm fresh, probably I would not beat Carlos, but definitely it would be a better match.

"At the end of the day, I think all of us have stayed up late, all of us maybe partied sometimes, but if you're staying up until 4am, the next day, you're dead. If you’re doing it again, the next day until 5am, you will have a difficult time to even be awake."

Alexander Zverev praises Carlos Alcaraz's form

Despite his frustrations laid bare at the post-match press conference, Zverev was full of praise for Alcaraz on the court.

"I want to congratulate Carlitos. Right now you are the best player in the world," he said.

"It is great for tennis that we have such a new superstar that is going to win so many grand slams, that is going to be world number one and I think is going to win this tournament many more times."

With his victory, Alcaraz became the second-youngest player ever to win two Masters 1000 titles.

"Last year, I was going through these experiences for the first time, playing against the best players, playing in the Masters 1000, and I learned a lot," Alcaraz said.

"Now it's different. I go onto the court with the confidence that I can win at any moment."

Alcaraz has enjoyed a year not many in the tennis would would have expected.

Alcaraz is now the youngest Madrid Open champion ever and the second youngest to win two Masters 1000 trophies after Nadal won in Monte Carlo and Rome in 2005.

The Spanish prodigy is also the first player since 1990 to beat three top-5 players on the way to a title.

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