Alexander Zverev has played very consistent tennis in 2024, finishing second in the ATP ranking behind Jannik Sinner. The German champion has had lower peaks than Carlos Alcaraz – who became the youngest ever to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year – but has reached at least the round of 16 in all the Masters 1000 tournaments he has played.
The player from Hamburg has won two Masters 1000 – in Rome and Paris-Bercy – overtaking Alcaraz in the ATP ranking in the last part of the season. Sascha’s 2024 was very satisfying, but to become excellent he would have had to win a Grand Slam title.
The German ace has had several chances in the Major tournaments this year, but he has not shown the right mental strength to finally overcome this obstacle. It’s no secret that Grand Slam tournaments have become something of a curse for Sascha, especially after his final loss to Dominic Thiem at the US Open in 2020.
Alexander Zverev© YouTube screenshot
In 2024, Alexander reached the final at the French Open – in which he was ahead two sets to one against Alcaraz – before succumbing to the young Spaniard’s comeback. At the Australian Open he had stopped against Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals (missing several chances), while at the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open he lost to Taylor Fritz (who also defeated him at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin).
The loss against American ace Fritz in New York was probably the most serious of his season, because the German really had a great chance at Flushing Meadows. The premature eliminations of Carlitos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in the first week had simplified his run, but Sascha once again struggled to manage the pressure and control his nerves.
In the latter part of the year, the world No.2 stepped up his practice sessions and began to have a more aggressive attitude on the court. Zverev knows he needs to be braver if he wants to finally lift a Major trophy in 2025.
Zverev comments on his 2024
Sascha’s new season will start very soon, as he will be one of the protagonists of the United Cup with his Germany. The German ace has decided to skip the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga precisely to start his preparation and will have as his main goal the Australian Open, scheduled at Melbourne Park from 12 to 26 January.
Zverev© Stream screenshot
In a long interview with ‘Tennis Magazin’, Zverev analyzed his 2024 season in detail: “I had a very stable season, except for the few tournaments where I had real physical problems.
I was one set away from winning Roland Garros. I still think and I stand by it that I played my best tennis at Wimbledon this year, for the first time in my career.
I have never played as well on grass as I did before my injury. That was very, very bitter for me because I really saw the opportunities for the first time in my life on grass.
I won two Masters titles, I played big finals, but at the end of the day I want to go one step further.”
Sascha attacks the media
Recently, the media around the world reported the fake news of a heavy attack by Sascha against his former coach Ivan Lendl. Their collaboration has been over for several years now, without obtaining the desired results (with the exception of the victory at the 2018 ATP Finals in London). After this fake news went around the world, the current world number 2 was forced to a dry denial.
Alexander wrote: “So, apparently I gave an interview about my coaching relationship with Ivan Lendl recently, which is not true.
In fact, I have not spoken to anyone from the press since my foundation event in Tannenhof one day after Turin and I have not made any comments about my coaching relationship with Ivan Lendl in more than five years.
I understand that everybody is very bored right now because it is the off-season and not much is happening except a lot of hard work, but this shows once again that some stories have to be completely made up by very bad journalism to keep readers interested in made up drama… See u all soon in Australia.”
Alexander Zverev, ATP Finals 2024© Stream screenshot
The German champion knows that 2025 will be a very important year for his career. Despite the presence of two young champions like Sinner and Alcaraz, Sascha must seize the opportunity to win a Grand Slam title.
The champion from Hamburg has the right skills to be dangerous on all surfaces, including red clay and grass. The next AO will immediately tell us that the path taken is the right one.
Tennis World USA