C'est La Vie for Zverev: Another French Open Title Out of Reach
Tennis champion Zverev's hopes for another Grand Slam win appear increasingly slim due to time constraints. - Pursuing a Grand Slam Victory in the Future:
With a scowl and a heavy heart, Alex Z, the world's third-ranked player, faced the media after a crushing, quarterfinals loss at the French Open. "I'm taking a golf trip. I've had it with tennis right now," he snarled, when asked about his next moves.
For now, he'd answered the question. Alex would need a few days to recover from his disheartening defeat against the formidable Djokovic. However, several questions loom over the medium and long term. Most pressing: How will Alex finally conquer a Grand Slam title? Is he prepared to make changes? Or is it back to business with dad as coach, bro as manager, and BFF as advisor?
Becker speaks up
Tennis legend Becker had a critique for the team: "If we're not getting the desired results, it's time for some tough love. The family must gather, open up, and discuss bluntly: Why isn't it working out?" Becker echoed the sentiments of many experts, who once favored Alex over the 10-year older Serbian.
Djokovic had gameplan in mind for the duel. He'd aimed to shorten rallies, foiled Alex's rally strategy, and anticipated his shots with precision. Alex hadn't made it easy for Djokovic, but his strategy seemed to be one-dimensional—extend rallies and hope Djokovic tires.
Alex fell for Djokovic's game
Yet it proved to be a trap. Though Djokovic'd had to catch his breath following exhausting rallies, he managed to bounce back quickly, even at 38. Djokovic may lose in the early rounds more often, but he shows up when it matters. Semi-finals at the Australian Open, where injury forced him to surrender against Alex, to semi-finals in Paris—Djokovic ain't easily dismissed.
"I'm still working on beating one of the best in the world at one of the biggest stages, and I'm still pushing myself at this age," said fan favorite Djokovic. On Friday, he'll face top-ranked Italian Sinner in the semi-finals.
Top players keep moving up
Djokovic will face stiffer challenges than he did against Alex. And that's one lesson the French Open taught Alex: Sinner and defending champion Alcaraz have surpassed Alex. Newcomers like Musetti and Draper are also closing in. It's getting tough for Alex with a Grand Slam hardware. As of now, Alex has the lowest win percentage against other top-ten players—just 25%.
"The dream of a Grand Slam title isn't dead, but with each missed chance, it becomes more difficult. The young guns are getting better," sighed Becker.
Alex showed little self-reflection following his failure to make the semifinals in Paris for the first time in five years, instead blaming the cold for affecting his serve's speed. His team offered little insight. Alex hadn't devised a strategy to cope with the unfavorable but predictable conditions. He'd played his best tennis in Paris, where foot injury against Nadal derailed his run in the semis—his team back then included Spanish coach Bruguera.
- Alex Z
- French Open
- Novak Djokovic
- Paris
- Boris Becker
- Brother
- Eurosport
- Jannik Sinner
Alexander Vereev, a tennis analyst for Eurosport, voiced his thoughts on the unfortunate defeat of Alex Z at the French Open, mentioning the challenges that lie ahead for the third-ranked player in terms of conquering a Grand Slam title. Boris Becker, another tennis legend, emphasized the need for the Zverev team to reassess their strategies as they face stiffer competition from young players like Jannik Sinner, who will be competing against Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the French Open in Paris.
