Alexander Zverev isn’t one to hold back from speaking his mind, especially in interviews. Remember his awkward exchange with an interviewer during the Monte Carlo Masters? After losing in the first round to Matteo Berrettini, Zverev faced an awkward interview moment. The reporter said, “The second set you didn’t play well for sure but the third was not that bad. I don’t know if you will look at it or maybe you don’t want to look at it anymore. But the third set was not bad level in my opinion. Maybe I’m wrong.” Zverev replied sharply, “Sorry, that was a question? I thought it was a statement. If you say so. I thought it was bad. I thought my level was terrible, but that’s just my opinion.” Now, at the Italian Open, another uncomfortable moment awaited him.
Despite winning in straight sets (6-2, 6-1) against Camilo Ugo Carabelli, his post-match interview took the spotlight for the wrong reasons. After securing the victory, the German appeared upset on the court with the journalist who interviewed him: “You’ve had a couple early exits in the Masters this year, so how nice to get one under the your belt here?” asked the journalist. Zverev snapped, “I won a tournament two weeks ago, so I don’t really like to think about it, but that’s your job. Thinking about stupid questions when the match is an hour long, so I leave it up to you.”
This gained attention from fans online, who seemed to find his behavior “rude.” However, Rennae Stubbs, who coached Serena Williams during the 2022 US Open, wrote back under a user’s tweet that said, “Did he have to be that rude to the interviewer?” She wrote, “The answer was rude but the question was ridiculous. Sorry. He could have said it’s been a tough few weeks after Munich so how much more comfortable are you here in Rome? Was the tennis we saw today how u felt in Munich? There are ways to highlight it without ripping a player.” Backing the defending champion for standing up for himself.
Did he have to be that rude to the interviewer? pic.twitter.com/RK5qRJk4nr
— Anna Vronsky (@vronsky_anna) May 9, 2025
Zverev has indeed had a rough time in the 2025 season. Since losing to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open finals (his third attempt at winning a GS) he hasn’t been able to come up since then. He admitted that his mistake was not taking a break after that, as he played in Argentina, Rio, Mexico, Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo after that! Although he won the title at the BMW Open, Madrid saw a third-round exit from the German right after. He momentarily lost his No.2 ranking to Carlos Alcaraz but regained it with his win in Munich.
However, he’s certainly not held back when speaking about his performance this year. Noting after his loss at the Monte Carlo Masters that, “I have not won many matches. So it’s been the worst period since my injury last few months.” Adding that it’s a pattern he’s noticed over the last few weeks. “It’s a matter that I’m losing. It’s as simple as that.”
Zverev said. “You win one or two matches like this, there is no more questions, for me in my mind. But I lost three sets in Buenos Aires, I lost three sets in Rio, I lost three sets in Indian Wells, I lost three sets in Miami, I lost three sets here, and I didn’t win a single one. So that’s the matter.”
While he’s done well in his opening match in Rome, what’s the reason behind his setbacks?
Alexander gets candid on his form since the Australian Open disappointment
Currently No. 2 in the ATP rankings behind Jannik, Zverev has had a rollercoaster season marked by ups and downs. But his recent fourth-round exit at the Madrid Open to Francisco Cerúndolo truly highlighted his ongoing struggles. Ahead of defending his Rome Open title, Sascha opened up about the mental and physical tolls affecting his game. “It’s great to return to a tournament where I was the champion last year. I love competing here and hope to showcase the same level of tennis I displayed then,” he said.
Zverev admitted his form dipped before Munich because he didn’t take the needed rest after the Australian Open. “Before the Munich tournament, my tennis was really poor, and I know why-I didn’t take a few weeks off after the Australian Open. That was a mistake because I ended up mentally burned out.” He stressed the importance of recovery in tennis. “Tennis is a tough sport; we need to give our bodies and minds time to recover, and I didn’t do that when I should have.”
Despite these challenges, Zverev is staying positive. “Now, I have to stay positive and remember that I won a tournament just two weeks ago.” That confidence showed in his Rome opener. His next test is against Lithuanian qualifier Vilius Gaubas, a rising talent who’s been impressive on the Challenger circuit.
Can he carry this momentum deep into Rome? With his sights set on defending his title and climbing to No. 1, the German looks ready to fight back. Let us know what you think!
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