Zverev: "Not all of us are Alcaraz and Sinner, I will have to improve my schedule"

Alexander Zverev continues strongly in his adventure at the 2026 Australian Open. The German player, ranked number three in the world, defeated Learner Tien in four sets to secure his ticket to the semifinals of the first Grand Slam of the season, where he will meet the winner of the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Alex De Miñaur.

Minutes after securing his qualification, Alexander Zverev attended a press conference to talk about his feelings. The German confessed that it had been a long time since he had played without pain or injuries, and he compared his calendar management with that of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Alexander Zverev and his best tennis level

"In the last ten days, I felt good, which is very nice, and without pain, something I hadn't felt in a long time, probably in 12 months. It's a good starting point, I feel good. I feel like I'm playing well. I am happy on the court because I play without pain and at a good level. Of course, winning always helps. When you win, you are automatically happier as an athlete, but my best tennis, I would say, was probably at Roland Garros 2022, when I got injured. That was probably my best tennis," Alexander Zverev explained at the press conference.

Playing without injuries, a challenge for Zverev

"It's a constant struggle. When you deal with injuries, with certain pains and discomforts, and you feel you can't make all the moves freely, you also get mentally tired. So you may not try as hard to go for your shots. Maybe you don't rely as much on your body, but I have also worked on my game. I have worked on my aggressive tennis. If those things work for me, I think success will come too."

Considering skipping tournaments like Alcaraz and Sinner did with Montreal?

"They earn 50 million dollars a year, not all of us are Carlos and Jannik. I'm not complaining at all about my life; I'm also very happy with my bank account, but it's a bit different too. Roger, towards the end of his career, played about ten tournaments a year. Novak now plays ten tournaments a year. It's very different. I will have to adapt. I have to improve my schedule. This year is very different after the Australian Open, so it's a learning process. It's also about learning that maybe the body is aging a bit. Maybe it's getting a little tired with the matches. In short, right now I want to focus on this and play my best tennis in the next two matches."

Alexander Zverev continues to seek a Grand Slam 

"Perhaps the best players feel more pressure at first not to fall too early. Anyone playing in the semifinals, Carlos or Alex, is a great player. You just want a fantastic match. In my case, I keep pursuing that coveted Grand Slam. Of course, I still want to achieve it, but I also want to enjoy tennis. Right now, I'm doing that, and that is the most important thing for me."

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