Angry Zverev stunned

Alexander Zverev smashed his racquet in frustration after he was the victim of a surprise threeset defeat to world number 61 Malek Jaziri at the China Open on Thursday.

With his coach Ivan Lendl looking on stonyfaced, the German prodigy exited in the last 16 in Beijing, the indefatigable Tunisian Jaziri winning 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-4.

Zverev, 21, the second seed touted as a future multiple Grand Slam winner, reacted by whacking his racquet on the floor, bending it badly out of shape.

He then dished out more punishment, flinging it at his courtside chair as he trudged off.

The veteran Jaziri, 34, faces Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia in the last eight on Friday.

Fourth seed Fabio Fognini of Italy remains on course for a fourth title this season after he swatted away Russia’s Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-3.

Top seed Juan Martin del Potro plays unseeded Serbian Filip Krajinovic and will be strong favorite in the Chinese capital with Grigor Dimitrov and now Zverev both out.

In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka said that a pep talk from her coach warning her to stop being “crazy” was behind her dumping holder Caroline Garcia.

The 20-year-old, who grabbed the biggest win of her career with the Wuhan Open title last week, was staring defeat in the face on Beijing’s increasingly chilly outside hard courts.

But roared on by a cheering squad decked out in matching purple and white jackets, the world number 16 from Belarus fought back to force a second-set tie break, and from there a deciding set.

With the fourth seed Garcia visibly wilting under the Belarusian’s barrage, Sabalenka surged to the finish in a 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 win and a place in the quarterfinals.