ATP Halle – Alexander Zverev positions himself for Wimbledon despite the semifinal defeat

Alexander Zverev had put the topic on the record himself. “I’m too big for the surface,” emphasized the Hamburg player just before the start of the grass season. Only Zverev himself knows how much understatement and how much frustration there is behind this statement.

Well, Zverev didn’t win the competition in Halle and it never worked out with a title on grass either. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old has proven in his last four matches that he has the quality for it.

In the semifinals against Alexander Bublik, Zverev revealed difficulties with the otherwise stable serve and lacked aggressiveness. The Olympic champion beat just under half as many winners (17:35) as his opponent.

And of course Zverev pushed frustration, lamented, quarreled. The gestures in the direction of the pits were clear: it’s not working, I’m pissed off. “I have no idea what I should have done today,” the local hero said at the press conference. Nevertheless, he was “very satisfied with the level I played and also with the whole tournament”.

Zverev enthusiastic: “It’s incredible fun”

In fact, the spectators in Halle recently experienced a freely playing Zverev, who even said that he had “incredibly fun” playing in Halle in front of a German audience on grass. The sticking point is usually the first game of such a competition.

He was very nervous before the opening match against Thiem. “That was a hurdle that I then mastered – and then I enjoy it too. But I have the feeling that I have to get over this first hurdle first,” reported Zverev.

The 22nd in the world rankings sometimes showed that his height of 1.98 m can also be an advantage on the green. In the round of 16 against Jarry, for example, Zverev got some balls out of the corners thanks to his reach, and the opponent even applauded a particularly spectacular winner.

Mischa is amazed by Sascha: Returns are extremely good

“The backhand is running, the forehand too, and the serve was amazing,” Mischa Zverev praised his brother after the first two games. Against Shapovalov, he was “almost surprised at how well Sascha was able to return Denis’s serves”.

In combination with their own outstanding service, these qualities make Zverev a top man on grass. The Olympic champion allowed a total of five breakballs in Halle’s first three matches – he fended them all off.

If Zverev builds on his performances at the French Open and the lawn event in Halle, then a lot is also possible in Wimbledon. The classic in the All England Club is his weakest Grand Slam tournament so far, twice (2017, 2021) he reached the round of 16.

Zverev makes it clear before Wimbledon: “Don’t drive like a Kasper”

Wimbledon will also be a Herculean task this year, “the aggressive baseline game and going to the net” makes things complicated for him, the 26-year-old explained to “Bild”.

But once he’s there, he wants to get the title, Zverev added and threw out a saying that was very often quoted: “I don’t go there like a Kasper and take it as a training week.”