tennis
“Great atmosphere”: Zverev full of confidence in the US Open
Faces Australian Aleksandar Vukic in the first round of the US Open: Alexander Zverev. photo
© Mathias Schulz/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Alexander Zverev spends his free time before the US Open as a New York tourist. After some rest, the new attempt at the first Grand Slam title begins – something still separates him from the favorites.
The program as a tourist in Manhattan alongside girlfriend Sophia Thomalla left behind Alexander Zverev a few question marks before the start of the US Open. Only a single line on a television could be seen in the Museum of Modern Art, plus a large bale of straw as an exhibit? “Well, in New York it’s just art because you don’t see any straw in the city there,” joked the Olympic tennis champion, shrugging his shoulders.
In addition to visiting the world-famous Museum of Contemporary Art and the Empire State Building, the 26-year-old enjoyed some rest on his day off with a walk in Central Park. The big sporting hustle and bustle in Flushing Meadows doesn’t start for Zverev until Tuesday morning – and with it the next attempt for the long-awaited first triumph in a Grand Slam tournament. He was in a “great mood” and felt “generally good,” Zverev enthused during a small media round at the weekend.
Instead of in one of the large press conference halls like defending champion Carlos Alcaraz & Co., he took a seat in a séparée at a round high table in the heart of the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Internationally, Zverev is not yet in the big focus again.
Nevertheless, thanks to the promising dress rehearsal in Cincinnati, the Hamburger is full of confidence in the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. “To win such big tournaments, you simply need good matches against such players,” said Zverev, who also did a training session with Djokovic in New York. “Hopefully I can go a few steps further here.”
Zverev: “I’m still under construction”
Three years ago, Zverev was on the verge of his first major triumph, but had to admit defeat to the Austrian Dominic Thiem after a 2-0 set lead in the final. After the serious ankle injury at the French Open in the summer of 2022, the twelfth in the world rankings is now back on the road to his old top form. “He has the talent and the class, and basically I trust him to win a Grand Slam at the US Open,” tennis legend Boris Becker recently analyzed. “Zverev is currently playing the best tennis since his comeback after a long injury break.”
From Becker’s point of view, Zverev’s time is “not over”, even if Alcaraz, who is six years his junior, recently celebrated his second Grand Slam title in Wimbledon. In the quarterfinals, Zverev could now meet the young star from Spain.
What currently differentiates him from Alcaraz and Djokovic, who delivered an epic final in Cincinnati almost two weeks ago? “They play all the time without injuries. Tennis is a sport where you need self-confidence,” said Zverev. “They did – and I’m still building.”
On the way to the duel with Alcaraz, which starts against Dominik Koepfer from Baden, a round of 16 against the in-form Italian Jannik Sinner is possible for Zverev. But first he has to stand up to 17th place in the first round duel with Australian Aleksandar Vukic on Tuesday (5:00 p.m. CEST). For the former world number two largely an unknown. “He played quite well on hard court,” he said of the world No. 51. “I assume he’s in good shape.” Zverev also wants to prove that.