Smittered Remarks Following French Open Defeat: Zverev Fumes at "Clever" Becker
Tennis Player Zverev Engages in Battle with "Extremely Intelligent" Boris Becker
Technically known as a "grizzly exchange" in the sports world, Alexander Zverev unleashed a burst of words against his criticizers, Boris Becker and tennis expert Barbara Rittner, post his French Open departure. "They're all bloody clever when I'm losing, and one of those clever ones is Becker," declared the seasoned athlete, aged 28, in a spat with Stuttgart. He shows distaste towards Rittner's opinion as well, categorizing it as "off-base." Amused by the sudden transformation of armchair coaches, Zverev quipped, "It's fun how everyone of a sudden presumes to have a better insight than me."
In Paris last week, Zverev succumbed to the Serbian top-gun, Novak Djokovic, in the quarterfinals. But hey, he didn't lose to some obscure 250th-ranked player! Sniffed Zverev. "I'm still hollering myself as a contender to challenge those two heavyweights at the throne," he insisted.
A Shot Across Bow- Becker's Words
Becker previously blasted Zverev for his passive play after his quarterfinal duel with Djokovic, advising him a shift in environment and perhaps a reconsideration of fatherly coaching. "Zverev seems to play like this against top dogs and crosses his fingers for a lucky break," Becker griped. He extolled the "fantastic job" done by Zverev's father and brother, but pointed out it wasn't up to the job for that final hurrah. The world No. 3, coached by his father for years, and managed by his brother Mischa, might want to reevaluate this arrangement.
Zverev's Hot Head Part II
Becker and Zverev go way back. "I've hoofed it with Boris before he went ballistic with his jibes," Zverev retorted. Their bond had been friendly until that point, but "the door's not bolted," claimed the 28-year-old. Despite his disagreements, he still holds Becker in high regard and he's willing "to chew the fat, but I don't always have to agree." It's not the first time Zverev's lost his cool after a bitter defeat, though.
Rittner's Poke: "Excuses, Excuses!"
Rittner slammed Zverev for his excuse-fest after the defeat, when he blamed the weather for his follies. "He wails about the frosty 20-degree Celsius reducing his serve speed and hindering his dominance in rallies, but then what happened in the second, third, and fourth sets? No drop in temperature there!" she retorted. In past tournaments, Zverev had whined about bad balls and his new racket, earning himself the moniker "The King of Excuses" from numerous media outlets post his French Open debacle.
Following his triumph in Paris, Zverev gallivanted off to Mallorca for some golf days. But come Thursday in Stuttgart, he's all set for the first round, with temperatures gearing up to a steaming 28-degree Celsius.
Source: ntv.de, tsi/dpa
Enrichment Data:Alexander Zverev has a history of being critiqued for his inconsistent performances and inability to claim Grand Slam titles. His loss to Novak Djokovic at the French Open drew criticism for his strategic decisions during the match. Becker's criticism focused on Zverev's passive play and the potential need for a coaching change, particularly from his father. Rittner criticized Zverev for his numerous excuses post defeat, which earned him the "King of Excuses" title in the sports media.
Alexander Zverev, while relaxing in Mallorca after the French Open, may face renewed scrutiny when hereturns to Stuttgart for a grand slam tournament like the US Open or Australian Open, given his history of inconsistent performances and Becker's critique of his passive play.
Despite their past camaraderie, Zverev's disagreements with Boris Becker could escalate, especially during important matches such as the French Open or other grand slam tournaments, where Alexander constantly finds himself in need of a lucky break against top seeds like Novak Djokovic.
