Alexander Zverev is one of the most successful names in tennis without a Grand Slam to his name. The 28-year-old German has reached three major finals, including the 2025 Australian Open, but the trophy still eludes him. He battled Jannik Sinner in a tight Australian Open final but came up short again. Since then, his form has been patchy at best, and the doubts have only grown louder. His recent loss at Roland-Garros didn’t help. Zverev fell to Novak Djokovic in four sets during the French Open quarterfinals. Boris Becker has raised questions about his coaching setup hindering his ability to win. What does the World No.3 have to say about it?
In 2024, Zverev had a 23-6 record on clay. This year? It’s been a different story. While he did lift the trophy in Munich, early exits in Argentina and Monte-Carlo hurt his momentum. His best result in the clay court Masters was a quarterfinal in Rome. That’s below par for someone with his clay credentials. And here’s a brutal stat: Zverev is now 5-18 against top 10 opponents in Grand Slams. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are zooming ahead, both with Major titles and a clear edge in big matches. The gap is starting to look wider than ever. The French Open quarterfinal loss only adds to the disappointment.
The big question is whether his coaching setup, led by his father Alexander Sr. and brother Mischa, is holding him back from that final step. That’s exactly what German tennis legend Boris Becker believes.
Becker didn’t hold back with his advice. The 7-time Grand Slam champion said, “At some point, you need new noises and a new environment. It’s the same in football, as a football coach, you don’t normally stay with a club for 10 years. He is the one who decides. He is the chairman of the board, the CEO. He decides what Team Zverev will look like in the future. His father and brother did an excellent job, but it wasn’t good enough for the final step.”
Another prominent German voice, Barbara Rittner, echoed a similar sentiment. She pointed out that real change can only happen if Zverev’s family takes a step back from his team.
Tennis – Laver Cup – Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany – September 21, 2024 Team Europe’s Alexander Zverev reacts during his singles match against Team World’s Taylor Fritz REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
Zverev wasn’t thrilled about the unsolicited coaching tips. Speaking in Stuttgart ahead of his return to the tournament, he fired back. The 28-year-old said, “When things aren’t going well for me, suddenly everyone seems to become very smart. Unfortunately, that also applies to Boris. I came back from a very serious injury and managed to get back to number 2 in the world.”
He didn’t stop there. Zverev continued, “I still see myself as a candidate to compete against the two guys up there. I lost to Djokovic, not to Hans Peter, who is ranked 250 in the world. I also had a lot of contact with Boris before he made that statement. I still have massive respect for him. I will always listen to what he has to say, but I don’t always have to agree.”
Now, Alexander Zverev is gearing up for the grass season and seems optimistic.
Alexander Zverev searches for the elusive Grand Slam on grass
Stuttgart is his first stop, where he’ll compete for the first time since 2019. The German is the top seed at the event and has received a bye in the first round. He awaits either Corentin Moutet or former champion Fabio Fognini in the second round. On the other side of the draw is familiar foe Taylor Fritz, who is looking to regain momentum after a lacklustre clay-court season.
Speaking about his return to Stuttgart, Zverev said, “I think last year I showed my best tennis on grass; I would say it was the best version of my career so far. I repeat, I’m very happy to be back here, so my intention is to have a great tournament, showing my best tennis from the start, although I might need a few days of training beforehand. It’s been a long time since my last visit here, but the facilities are still beautiful. I think the fans here get involved in a huge way, I sense it will be a great week.”
Last year, the World No.3 reached the fourth round at Wimbledon but was knocked out by Taylor Fritz, who came back from two sets down. He’s never gone beyond that stage in eight attempts. Yet, he’s not giving up. This grass season could be crucial for his Grand Slam hopes.
With 24 tour-level titles under his belt but none on grass, Stuttgart might be the perfect place to reset. Alexander Zverev still believes he can win big. Will this grass season finally change his Grand Slam story?
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