Tennis|The On- and Off-Court Drama of Alexander Zverev
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He’s a diligent player. He has also recently worked through an abuse claim and an on-court tantrum — and a serious injury at last year’s French Open.
By Cindy Shmerler
When Alexander Zverev left the French Open last year, it was in a wheelchair. He was in tears.
After tearing ligaments in his right ankle while running for a ball, Zverev was forced to retire in the semifinals to the eventual champion, Rafael Nadal. Zverev had hopes of winning his first major title after twice winning the ATP Finals and capturing a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He was also the runner-up at the 2020 United States Open.
Zverev has faced plenty of adversity, much of it self-inflicted. A public feud with a former agent over money was settled out of court. Allegations of domestic abuse by a former girlfriend dogged him for about two years, prompting an investigation by the ATP, which eventually found no substantial evidence of the claims. And after throwing an on-court tantrum following a doubles loss last year, Zverev was fined $40,000 and put on 12 months of probation for “unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Yet Zverev remains one of the most diligent workers on tour.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.
You are known for your physical strength on court. But the game is mental, too. Which is harder for you?
I always feel like when I do the work, I am mentally prepared as well. Once I’ve done everything I can to be ready to win, there’s nothing to be nervous about. If you don’t play well, you don’t play well. Sometimes things happen out of your control in any sport, especially in tennis because it’s a singular sport.
You’ve been super competitive since you were a child. How much of that has helped you on the ATP Tour?
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