Zverev seems to have thrown in the towel

Jose Morón | 26 Jan 2025 | 19.16

Zverev seems to have thrown in the towel. Photo: Getty

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Will Alexander Zverev ever win a Grand Slam in his career? Surely many have asked themselves this question throughout this morning when they saw the differences between him and the world number 1, Jannik Sinner. Some believed in his chances in the Australian Open final, but the truth is that from the first minute, the German did not believe in victory. And if he doesn't believe it, it's hard for anyone else to do it for him.

In tennis, we all agree that Sascha has a shot at winning a major. In fact, he has been a set away on two occasions. The problem for him is that after many years of getting closer, creating expectations, and accumulating pressure from his country, he always finds the door closed in his face. It's normal for him to feel completely demotivated. His words during the awards ceremony testify to this.

"I'm not good enough," Sascha asserted in front of everyone. Today's outcome hit him hard emotionally. When he entered the circuit, he found himself trailing behind the Big 3 and patiently waited for his chance. Now that two of the three are out and Djokovic is almost out too, he sees how the players from the 2000s generation pass him by. Since his debut on the circuit, Zverev has been labeled as a Grand Slam winner, and he believed it himself, but as the years pass, his morale begins to crumble.

Zverev's main problem at Grand Slams

In his early days, Sascha succumbed to the pressure placed on him by his country, eager to have a new Grand Slam winner and a world-class figure after Becker. This led him to approach these tournaments with great anxiety and pressure, fighting many five-set battles in the early weeks of competition. This left him out of the game for the crucial part of the tournament.

As time passed and his tennis improved, things got better, but his performance at these tournaments still lagged far behind what he achieved in the Masters 1000. In the Slams, Sascha has never shown the same level as in these other tournaments. Australia, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open. These tournaments are a different story. Physically and mentally, they require a huge effort, and you have to do things tremendously well to win one.

Over the years, Zverev has developed a slight "fear of winning." When he has come close to beating a Top player in one of these tournaments or when he was a set away from winning the 2020 and 2024 finals, his game becomes stingy, his hand trembles, and his mind plays tricks on him. We're talking about 13 defeats in 14 matches against Top 5 players in these tournaments. These numbers don't just happen by chance.

Federer himself said a few months ago, referring to why Zverev hadn't won a Grand Slam yet: "He plays very passively in crucial moments. He must look for something more. Take a step forward," commented the Swiss. Sascha himself acknowledged this. "He hasn't said anything I don't know," he replied.

He lost today's final before playing it

With all of this weighing on him, it's surprising that Zverev came out to play the Australian final against Sinner with that mental approach today. He seemed defeated before the match even began. After just a couple of games, his body language spoke of a person lacking confidence, with no belief in his chances. Eyes on the ground, slumped shoulders, serious expression. And this was only after a couple of games.

This indicates that Zverev's mental preparation and his team's approach were wrong before this final. You can't go into a Slam against Sinner in such conditions. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will either. The phrase "I'm not good enough" is the words of someone who seems to have thrown in the towel and given up completely. In tennis, a sport so mental, the key is to speak to yourself positively, have confidence in yourself even when you know you're inferior to the opponent, and believe you can do it. Without this, it doesn't matter what weapons you have, you won't be able to beat your opponent.

Whether Zverev will win a Slam or not is something time will tell. In terms of tennis, it's clear that he has what it takes. Perhaps his problem lies elsewhere. Time is running out for him because talented youngsters under 21 years old keep emerging with a burning hunger to shake things up in the circuit, and his chances will diminish. It's up to him to work on this and not end his career with the title of 'Best player in history without a Grand Slam.'

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Zverev parece que ya ha arrojado la toalla