German tennis icon Boris Becker has expressed serious concerns regarding Alexander Zverev’s current performance on the ATP tour, criticizing the world number three’s recent outings. In a podcast discussion with former women’s player Andrea Petkovic, Becker stated, “World class looks different. I really thought he was knocking on the door of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz,” reflecting his disappointment in Zverev’s form.
Becker pointed out that Zverev’s team has remained unchanged, which he believes could be impacting the player’s development. “Nothing new is happening in his box either. There’s his father, there’s his brother – the same faces as always,” he commented. This lack of fresh perspectives may be contributing to Zverev’s struggle to regain his top form.
Recently, Zverev faced setbacks in his performance, exiting early at the ATP event in Beijing and losing in the third round of the Shanghai Masters. Acknowledging his difficulties, Zverev admitted, “My year has been terrible, I’m just playing terrible tennis all round,” while also grappling with ongoing back issues.
Additionally, he has voiced concerns about the speed of the playing surfaces, but Becker suggested that Zverev could be using this as a distraction from his own struggles on the court. “I don’t like any of that. He needs to focus on himself. At the moment, he’s taking two steps back,” Becker said.
Zverev is set to participate in the Six King Slam from October 15-18 in Saudi Arabia, where he will compete alongside top players such as Alcaraz and Sinner. Despite the lucrative nature of the event, Becker criticized it, stating, “There’s a lot of money involved, but no points and no respect from the tennis world.”
Following the exhibition, Zverev will need to regroup quickly as he prepares to defend his title at the Paris Masters, which begins on October 27. Becker expressed urgency for Zverev to revitalize his performance, saying, “He’s a problem child right now. I really get a bit of a headache when I think about Sascha Zverev. He needs to turn things around again for the last two or three tournaments of the year.”
The sentiment from Becker’s commentary highlights the pressure on Zverev to not only improve his game but also regain respect within the tennis community as he aims to finish the year on a positive note.