Your Odds at Wimbledon, Alex: A Sneak Peek at Alexander Zverev's Wimbledon Prep
"Zverev Elated Despite Apparent Plea for Wimbledon Triumph"
Stuttgart (dpa) - Alexander "Sascha" Zverev, with his charming humour and unyielding spirit, gives us a hint of his Wimbledon ambitions after his final defeat against Taylor Fritz in Stuttgart. "I'm gonna win Wimbledon, no worries," the top German tennis pro joked, leaving us laughing and intrigued. The lawn classic commences on June 30.
Let's Chat, Zverev!
Zverev's French Open dismay didn't stop his laughter and self-assuredness at the award ceremony, eleven days after his quarterfinal exit in Paris. Even against his usual nemesis, Fritz, he kept a delightful mood. "I'm sick of you. I don't want to see you for the next two, three years. Don't come to Germany," Zverev humorously threatened, causing a riot of laughter in the stadium.
"I'm stoked about my first grass final in eight years," said Zverev with hope for future success.
Rainy Days and Tennis Games
After a nearly 80-minute rain delay at the start of the second set, Zverev couldn't counter Fritz's titanic serves. This day of extraordinary tennis watched the last-ditch effort for the first German title winner in 34 years disappear. The Stuttgart triumph of Michael Stich, back in 1991, was the most recent victory for a German at the tournament. That same year, Stich also seized Wimbledon's crown.
Zverev's expectation for a turnaround was tossed out to sea. Despite Fritz barely managing his first service game, the battle seemed lost.
Fritz's Friendly Foe
The Weissenhof final between the top two seeds (Zverev and Fritz) began evenly. But Zverev gifted Fritz two double faults and a net volley error with his serve at 5:3. The 24-time tournament winner couldn't put pressure on the US Open finalist after that, with the first set now in Fritz's grasp.
The second set saw little hope for a reversal of fortune. Halfway through the first set, Zverev found the logo on the railing's brightness distracting. Meanwhile, Fritz barely maintained his footing in the first service game of the second set.
The rain break at 1:1 appeared just in time for Zverev. The final was moved forward two hours due to uncertain weather forecasts, starting at an unusual lunchtime. Given the uncertain weather predictions, the Grease Lightning-inspired rally pushed through. In the second set, Zverev fought through to the tiebreak, but it ultimately triumphed over him.
German Sovereignty in Stuttgart After 34 Years
Many German tennis enthusiasts are pinning their hopes on this lawn classic for Zverev to make history as the first title holder in 34 years. Zverev aims to replicate Stich's feat of winning the Elmshorner title on grass in Wimbledon. But Wimbledon has proven challenging, with the German star's best result being a fourth-round finish in 2017 and 2021.
Zverev seems to have lost some ground to the world No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner, having yet to surpass the round of 16 at the lawn classic.
Zverev's form seems to be on the right track for the most important grass event from June 30 to July 13. "I got everything I wanted from this week," he said after his win against American Ben Shelton in the semifinals. The setback against Fritz makes him reflect, though.
Halle – Stopover on the Road to Wimbledon
Next week, Zverev will sharpen his grass-court skills in Halle. In 2017, he played his last grass final there, receiving a lesson from Roger Federer. Zverev's only title this year was at the end of April in Munich.
Zverev's quarterfinal exit at Roland Garros created the opportunity for him to participate in Stuttgart. The withdrawal of other prominent players has always posed a problem for Stuttgart organizers in the past. The tournament's timing during the week after Roland Garros often clashes with top stars' schedules.
Zverev's participation in Wimbledon is yet to be confirmed. Tournament director Edwin Weindorfer and Zverev will discuss his future participation in Wimbledon. Zverev's decision is expected to be made at the last minute.
Zverev mentioned his aspiration for Wimbledon triumph, jokingly stating, "I'm gonna win Wimbledon, no worries," hinting at his intentions for the upcoming grass-court tournament. Despite his recent defeat against Fritz, Zverev plans to prepare for Wimbledon without delay, participating in the tournament in Halle next week to improve his grass-court skills.
