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Stefan Edberg Backs Zverev To Win Grand Slam Titles In The Future

The Swedish legend talked about the Next Gen star as well as the current state of the sport in his home country.

Published

3 years ago

14/06/2018

Former world No.1 Stefan Edberg believes that it will be ‘only a matter of time’ before Alexander Zverev wins a major title.

Edberg, who won six grand slam trophies during his career, believes the world No.3 has what it takes to go to the top. 21-year-old Zverev is positioned as the most likely successor to take over from the ‘big four’ in the future. He has already won eight titles on the tour, including three at Masters 1000 level.

“He had his big breakthrough in 2017 with some tournament victories. Everyone will agree if I say that he has the weapons and punches to win big titles. He will win a Grand Slam – it’s only a matter of time. Whether it will be this year, next year or two years is hard to predict.” Edberg told German publication Tennis Magazin.

Zverev’s record at grand slams has improved in recent time, but he is yet to secure a significant breakthrough. At the French Open he achieved his best run in a major event by reaching the quarter-finals. It was a far from straightforward task for the German, who won three consecutive five-sets matches on route. Becoming only the eighth player in the Open Era to do so at a grand slam. His momentum was halted by Dominic Thiem, who went on to play Rafael Nadal in the final.

“It would be good for many reasons, not only for German tennis, but also generally for tennis, if he makes the breakthrough in the Grand Slams.” Edberg commented.

Renowned for his serve-and-volley tennis on the tour, which was a common practice during the 1980s, Edberg believes Zverev will become better at playing at the net as he matures. Zverev’s brother Mischa remains one of the few players that continues to conduct an old-school serve-and-volley approach on the court.

“He is still very young. He will improve his volley game. But it is not enough to practice it in training, he has to do it in the match. It runs like this: fail, fail again, succeed, fail, succeed. And then one day he will have internalized it.” Edberg explained.
“You have to use your strengths and work on them. Many people focus on their weaknesses instead of hone the things they are really good at. When you work on your strengths, you automatically improve your weaknesses.”

The decline in Swedish tennis

Edberg played during a period where Sweden was regarded as one of the strongest tennis nations in the world. Besides him, there were also Mats Wilander, Magnus Norman and Bjorn Borg. In 2018 Swedish tennis is in a very different situation with there currently being no male ranked in the world’s top 100. The highest is Elias Ymer at 105th.

”During the eighties, I was constantly asked why Swedish men’s tennis is so successful. Now it is the opposite. I have no suitable answers.” He said.
“The times have changed. Since tennis is in the Olympics again, there is more competition. Many associations have more money available. Maybe we have lost some of our expertise in Sweden as well.
“It will be a while before we have a top player again.”

Earlier this month, another former Swedish player, Robin Soderling, spoke about the state of Swedish tennis. Soderling, who reached a high of fourth back in 2010, believes part of the blame is down to the national association. Accusing them of failing to adapt to the changes occurring in the sport over the years.

“I think the federation, the coaches in Sweden got a little bit lazy because one thing had been working for so many years, and they thought it would just be working by itself in the future.” He said.
“But when the tennis changed, the sport improved, I don’t think the coaches really improved. They didn’t see what was going on, and they were coaching the players in the same way.”

Overall, there are currently three Swedish players ranked in the top 300. Besides Ymer, there are also two on the Women’s tour. Johanna Larsson (62) and Rebecca Peterson (76).

Related Topics:Alexander Zverev Stefan Edberg

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Arthur Rinderknech beats Federico Delbonis to reach the second round in Antwerp

Published

4 mins ago

18/10/2021

sampaolo

Arthur Rinderknech won 85% of his first service points in his 6-4 6-4 win over Federico Delbonis after 1 hour and 31 minutes to reach the second round at the European Open in Antwerp.

Rinderknech earned two breaks to open up a 4-1 lead. Delbonis pulled back one break in the sixth game, but Rinderknech held on his next service games to win the first set 6-4.

The Frenchman went up an early break in the first game to take a 4-2 lead. Delbonis saved three break points to hold serve at deuce in the seventh game for 3-4. Rinderknech served out the win at deuce after saving a break point in the 10th game.

Rinderknech has extended his winning record to 2-0 in his head-to-head matches against Delbonis.

“I am really pleased with the win. There were some crazy points here and there and sometimes they did not go my way. These kind of points can change the match but I tried to stay focused and I am pleased I was able to close out the match”, said Rinderknech.

US Next Gen player Jenson Brooksby cruised past Norbert Gombos 6-4 6-2. Brooksby went up a 4-1 lead with a double break. Gombos pulled one break back for 2-4 in the sixth game. Brooksby held on his next service games to win the first set 6-4 and earned two breaks in the first and seventh games to seal the second set 6-4.

Another US Next Gen rising star Brandon Nakashima beat Pierre Hugues Herbert 6-2 6-4. Nakashima broke serve in the fifth and seventh games and earned a break in the fifth game of the second set.

Dusan Lajovic beat Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7-3) 6-1. Gasquet earned a break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Lajovic broke straight back to draw level to 2-2. Lajovic saved two break points in the ninth and eleventh games. Lajovic earned three mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-3. The Serbian player broke three times to win the second set 6-1.

Botic Van de Zandschulp beat Alexei Popyrin 6-4 3-6 6-0. Van de Zandschulp won the first set 6-4 with a break in the fifth game.

Popyrin saved five break points in the first game before converting his third break point to take a 2-0 lead. Both players went on serve until the 10th game when Popyrin served out the set after saving two break points.

Van de Zandschulp earned three breaks to win the third set 6-0.

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Marin Cilic overcomes Damir Dzumhur at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow

Published

3 hours ago

18/10/2021

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Marin Cilic edged past Damir Dzumhur 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-1 after 1 hour and 51 minutes to reach the second round at the VTB Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Cilic won two consecutive titles in 2014 and 2015.

Cilic came back from losing the tie-break of the first set by winning 12 of the last 13 games. He will face either Tommy Paul or Winston Salem finalist Mikael Ymer.

The opening set went on serve with no break points en route to the tie-break. Dzumhur earned three set points at 6-3 with two mini-breaks and converted his second chance to win the tie-break 7-4. Cilic broke three times to cruise through to a 6-1 win in the second set. The 2014 US Open champion saved a break point in the third game before breaking at deuce in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead. Cilic closed out the third set with a double break at love in the sixth game.

The Croatian player has extended his winning record to 2-0 in his head-to-head matches against Dzumhur.

Cilic won his 19th career ATP title in Stuttgart against Felix Auger Aliassime and reached two semifinals in Singapore and Estoril.

“It always feels great to be here. It is always a pleasure and it is great to see a nice crowd here. I know that Damir always enjoys these conditions where the court is a bit slower and the ball stays a bit slower, so I was having a little bit of difficulty on his serve in the first set”, said Cilic.

John Millman also rallied from one set down to beat Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 after two hours and 35 minutes. Millman will play against either Alexander Bublik or Ukrainian qualifier Ilya Marchenko.

Millman went up a 5-2 lead with a double break. Bonzi pulled both breaks back to draw level to draw level to 5-5. Bonzi earned two mini-breaks to take a 4-2 lead. Millman pulled back on serve to draw level to 5-5, but Bonzi earned his third mini-break to win the tie-break 7-5.

Bonzi went up a set and a break to take a 4-3 lead, but Millman won the final three games with two breaks to claim the second set 6-4. Millman raced out to a 4-0 lead with two breaks. Bonzi got one break back in the fifth game for 1-4. Millman won his final service games to close out the third set 6-3.

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Andrey Rublev defends his title at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow

Published

11 hours ago

18/10/2021

sampaolo

Andrey Rublev will defend his title on home soil at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. The Russian star will be looking to win his second title this season following his triumph in Rotterdam last March. Rublev claimed five ATP titles in Doha, Adelaide, Hamburg, Vienna and St. Petersburg.

The Moscow Kremlin Cup line-up also features Karen Khachanov, winner in 2018 and Olympic silver medallist last July, Marin Cilic, who won two titles in the Russian capital in 2014 and 2015, and 2017 champion Damir Dzumhur.

Aslan Karatsev will play in the main draw on home soil for the first time without having to qualifying round. Karatsev won his first title in Dubai and reached the final in Belgrade losing to Matteo Berrettini this year. Karatsev reached the doubles final at Indian Wells last week teaming up with Rublev.

The other name to watch is Alexander Bublik from Kazahstan, who reached to a career-high of world number 34 this year. Bublik reached two ATP Finals this year in Antalya and Singapore. The Kazakh player reached the quarter final in the Russian tournament as a qualifier in 2016 and 2017.