The brutal dialectical war between Becker and Zverev: "He only says nonsense"

Alexander Zverev continues to have to deal with all kinds of criticism regarding various aspects, but one of the most surreal and fierce has come from his compatriot Boris Becker. Two of the best German tennis players in history have an open feud that has escalated further in recent hours.

Being number 1 in the world and living the best years of his tennis career does not exempt Alexander Zverev from being summarily judged on various matters. While it is curious that his merits are often undervalued, even more concerning are the strong words from Boris Becker, in which he harshly criticizes him and accuses him of being pro-Russian, thereby explaining his low popularity in Germany, in an interview with Spiegel, countered by Zverev in Paris.

Here are Becker’s criticisms of Zverev

"I often find that Zverev is quite brusque and curt in interviews in German. He is not exactly friendly with journalists. In German interviews, he often comes across as rather dry and curt, and he is not particularly kind to journalists. However, when he speaks in English, he is much friendlier, charming, has a sense of humor, and knows how to laugh at himself." 

"In private, I have met a charming and funny Sascha. I believe he should open up more and let people get to know him. If he wants to be respected more and even liked, especially in his country, he has to do his part."

"As a player, you need to have the crowd on your side. In the fifth set, you want the people to cheer for you, to support you and not your opponent. And that happens when they have affection for you and want you to win. In Zverev's last three Grand Slam finals, I felt that the majority of the audience was supporting his rival. With Sascha, it doesn't always feel like he's seeking that support from the people."

Becker accuses Zverev of being pro-Russian

"His parents come from Russia and he speaks Russian with his team during matches. Also, he does not speak publicly about the Ukraine war, something that I can personally understand, but that obviously does not help him earn the affection of the German public."

OJO a estas palabras de Becker sobre por qué piensa él que Zverev no es muy querido en Alemania. 🗣️ “Sus padres son rusos y él habla ruso con su equipo durante los partidos. Además, no se pronuncia públicamente sobre la guerra de Ucrania, algo que personalmente puedo entender, pero que evidentemente no le ayuda a ganarse el cariño del público alemán” 🗣️ “En las entrevistas en alemán suele mostrarse bastante seco y cortante, y tampoco es especialmente amable con los periodistas. Sin embargo, cuando habla en inglés es mucho más simpático, tiene encanto, sentido del humor y sabe reírse de sí mismo” 🗣️ “En privado he conocido a un Sascha encantador y divertido. Creo que debería abrirse más y dejar que la gente le conozca. Si quiere que le respeten más e incluso que le quieran, especialmente en su país, tiene que poner algo de su parte” 🎙️ Der Spiegel

— José Morón (@jmgmoron) November 5, 2026

This is Zverev's response to Becker's criticisms

"I think he is saying a lot of nonsense, as always. I don’t know what’s going on with him right now, but I have the feeling that he has to comment on everything I do. I feel like he’s looking for any excuse to belittle me. He can do it; it’s his decision."

"I find it strange that he thinks I should express my political opinions, whatever the reason. I have a very clear opinion about that. No one has ever asked me about it. I am not going to make comments on Instagram. It’s not my style; I’ve never done it and I never will."

"I felt that in Paris, 70% of the people were with me. In Wimbledon, I played against Jannik Sinner and the support was more or less evenly split at 50%. Only in New York, logically, did the fans mostly lean towards the American Ben Shelton."

It is evident that the relationship between Boris Becker and Alexander Zverev is broken and there may be something behind the animosity they feel towards each other. Becker's words regarding Sascha's closeness to Russia are particularly concerning, perceiving it as a logical reason for him to be especially liked in Germany.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La brutal guerra dialéctica entre Becker y Zverev: "Solo dice tonterías"