Zverev Slammed for Passive Play in Loss to Djokovic
Stomach Punch Tactics Allegedly Used by Becker Against Djokovic, Labeled as Disrespectful
Lay people are bewildered by Alexander Zverev's passive strategy against Novak Djokovic during their French Open quarterfinal match. The 28-year-old German seemed to lack fight, with Djokovic employing an astounding 35 (!) drop shots against him, according to official stats. Ex-tenniser Boris Becker, deadpan, finds this downright disrespectful.
"If I were facing a player trying five drop shots against me, I'd, like, nail the sixth one, guaranteed no more drop shots ever," Becker barked at Eurosport, acting as a expert. "I'd handle the situation differently, and most players would too, man," he growled.
Becker Urges Zverev to Roar
Djokovic deployed drop shots to lure Zverev, typically stationed far from the baseline, towards the net. Zverev failed to counter this, or indeed devise any plan to outfox the 38-year-old Serbian titan. "At some point, I had no freaking clue how to score a point from the baseline against him," Zverev sniffed post-match, watching yet another Grand Slam dream dissipate. "He seemed to always answer my moves," he added, praising Djokovic's game.
"You gotta make the points against elite players like Djokovic, or even Sinner and Alcaraz. You gotta attack and believe you'll win," Becker roared, summing up Zverev's French Open performance with a grimace. "The quarterfinals here were a must, the semis his goal, and he whiffed it," Becker grumbled.
"I reckon he'll need to ponder why his entire clay-court campaign went pear-shaped," the 57-year-old observed. Zverev, who won Wimbledon's runner-up trophy last year, seemed lost post-match, unsure of his next move. "I'm hitting the links. I don't even want to sniff tennis right now," Zverev murmured, refering to the upcoming golf outing. Wimbledon starts in about three and a half weeks.
Sources: ntv.de, ter/dpa
Insights:
Becker's criticism comes in the backdrop of Zverev's tendency to blame external factors for losses, instead of analyzing his own game[1]. Becker believes that Zverev needs a more self-critical approach to thrive in major tournaments like the French Open[4][5]. Furthermore, Becker hinted at the possibility of Zverev considering a coaching change, as his current approach appears inadequate for competing at the highest tier of tennis[2][3].
"Perhaps Alexander Zverev could learn from the tactics employed by other tennis players, like attacking more and believing in his ability to win, as suggested by Boris Becker, to stand a chance against Grand Slam champions like Novak Djokovic in future matches."
"In light of his recent performance at the French Open and his tendency to blame external factors for losses, Becker emphasizes the importance of a self-critical approach and potentially considering a coaching change for Zverev to succeed in major tournaments such as the French Open."
