Alexander Zverev Has ‘A Lot Of Room For Improvement,’ Says New Coach Ferrer - UBITENNIS
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Alexander Zverev Has ‘A Lot Of Room For Improvement,’ Says New Coach Ferrer

The former French Open finalist provides insight into his current work with the tennis star.

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It took three separate calls to persuade former top 10 player David Ferrer to join the team of world No.7 Alexander Zverev.

Just a year after ending his professional career, the Spaniard finds himself back on the Tour in a new capacity in what is his first top-level coaching job. After travelling to Monte Carlo for a trial period, it was confirmed that Ferrer will be on Zverev’s team for at least the rest of 2020. Although getting him to join in the first place was a tough task.

There were other proposals, but Zverev called me three times to ask if I could be his coach,” Ferrer said during an interview with Punto de Break. The first two I told him that I couldn’t, that I had other things in mind, but during confinement (lockdown) he called me a third time. I liked that, that he was the one who contacted me, he encouraged me to try.”

Both men are fairly familiar with each other after facing off nine times on the ATP Tour, including three in 2019. Zverev was the last player Ferrer played against at the Madrid Open before officially retiring from the sport at the age of 37. Following that match the German described his new coach as ‘one of the most loved people on the Tour.’

Ferrer isn’t the only person guiding the 23-year-old on the Tour. He is also mentored by his father who is a former player himself and won two gold medals at the 1985 summer Universiade. Under the new arrangement, Ferrer outlines the area that he is solely responsible for at present.

”I am the one who designs all the exercises. When I am not present, I contact his father and tell him about everything I want to do,” he explains.
“In this sense, Sascha is learning a lot from me and his father also really likes the pattern that I wanted to bet on.’
“I don’t know if I’m the head coach or not, to this day I don’t care, I don’t have egos for that. What I can tell you is that I do the exercises.”

In recent years Zverev has been one of the players tipped to take over the reign of the Big Three in the future. His resume currently features 11 ATP titles that include three at Masters level and one in the ATP Finals. He first broke into the world’s top three back in 2017 when he became the youngest player to do so for a decade (Novak Djokovic 2007).

Although it hasn’t all been smooth running for the German who has only won one ATP tournament over the past 18 months. Doing so at the 2019 Geneva Open on clay. Although in January he achieved his best Grand Slam result so far with a run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

“I think he has a lot of room for improvement mentally and tennis too,” Ferrer commented. “Maybe in playing more forward, or certain technical aspects that he can polish.’
“We are talking about a player who is already very good, but by improving certain tennis and mental aspects he can win Grand Slams and be very high. You always need to evolve and improve in your game, this is what motivates me the most, that even knowing everything that has already won, we know that it can still be better. I believe it 100
%.”

Zverev experienced a short lived return to competitive tennis this week at the Western and Southern Open in New York. Seeded fifth in the tournament, he crashed out in his opening match to Andy Murray. Zverev served for the win at 5-4 in the decisive set but then got broken twice in a row.

The truth is that Murray played at a great level in the first set, it surprised me,” Ferrer commented on the match.
“Then at 5-4 and service (for the match) came that moment where the tension prevented him from closing and cost him the game. It’s the first game so I can’t make an assessment yet. His attitude was good, I’m not worried.”

The next test will be at the US Open where Ferrer says he expects to see ‘more surprises’ in the early rounds than normal following the Tour break. Once again Novak Djokovic will be the favourite to win the title as Zverev chases after his maiden major trophy. Although his new coach explains that it is an ongoing process that shouldn’t be rushed.

“We know that the higher you are, the more pressure you have, especially if you are young and have already won important things, people will always ask you to take the next leap,” he said.
“What the team has to achieve is that the player is as calm as possible and goes step by step.’
“We just started, I don’t want to venture out and talk too much either. What worries me now is that he improves mentally and tennis, that will be what leads him to have options to win important titles, whether they are Grand Slams, Masters 1000 or whatever.”

Zverev will play Kevin Anderson in his first round match at Flushing Meadows.

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Wrist Injury Threatening To End Holger Rune’s Olympic Dream

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Holger Rune will have a second medical opinion on Monday before deciding if he is fit enough to play at the Olympic Games, according to his team. 

The Danish world No.17 recently retired from his quarter-final match at the Hamburg Open due to a knee injury. The hope at the time was that his withdrawal would be just a precautionary measure ahead of the Olympics. However, he is also dealing with a second issue that appears to be more serious.

According to TV 2 Sport, Rune has been struggling with a wrist issue and underwent a scan on Sunday which his mother Aneke says ‘doesn’t look promising.’ Aneke is also the manager of her son’s career. Rune’s Olympic dreams now rest on the outcome of a second medical expert that he will visit tomorrow who has a better understanding of the sport. 

“Unfortunately, it does not look promising after the first medical opinion after the review of the scan of the wrist,” Aneke Rune told TV 2 Sport.

“We are waiting for two tennis-specific doctors who will give a second opinion tomorrow (Monday). Tennis wrists look different from regular wrists, so we’ll hold out hope for one more day.” 

Rune is one of three Danish players entered into the Olympic tennis event along with Caroline Wozniacki and Clara Tauson. The country has only won one medal in tennis before which was at the 1912 Games when Sofie Castenschiold won silver in the women’s indoor singles event. 

So far this season, the 21-year-old has won 27 matches on the Tour but is yet to claim a title. He reached the final of the Brisbane International and then the semi-finals of three more events. In the Grand Slams, he made it to the fourth round of the French Open and Wimbledon. 

It is not known when a final decision regarding Rune’s participation in Paris will be made.

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Hubert Hurkacz Undergoes ‘Knee Procedure’ Ahead of Olympic Bid

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Poland’s top player on the ATP Tour is not giving up on his dream of winning a medal at the Olympic Games despite recently undergoing a medical procedure.

World No.7 Hubert Hurkacz suffered a knee injury during his second round clash at Wimbledon against France’s Arthur Fils. In the fourth set tiebreak of their clash, Hurkacz dived for a shot but landed badly on his knee and required on-court medical attention. He then played two more points before retiring from the match. 

In a social media post published on Wednesday, the  27-year-old confirmed he underwent a procedure on his knee earlier this week but didn’t provide any further details.  Although Hurkacz has stated his intention to play at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, where the tennis event will be held on the clay at Roland Garros. 

“I had a knee procedure this Monday, but I’m feeling better already and my team and are dedicating extensive time each day to the rehab process.” He wrote on Instagram. 

“It’s a dream for every athlete to represent their country at the Olympics, and I want to make sure I am fully fit and ready before making the final decision to step on court. The aim is not only to participate, but to win a medal for my country.”

So far this season Hurkacz has won 34 out of 48 matches played on the Tour. He won the Estoril Open in April and was runner-up to Jannik Sinner in Halle. 

The Olympic tennis event is scheduled to begin a week Saturday on July 27th. Poland is yet to win a medal in the event but expectations are high with women’s No.1 Iga Swiatek also taking part. 

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Motivation, Pressure And Expectations – Novak Djokovic Targets History At Wimbledon

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image via x.com/wimbledon

Novak Djokovic has broken numerous records throughout his career but he still feels the pressure of trying to make history in the sport. 

The world No.2 is through to his 10th Wimbledon final where he will play Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him at this stage of the tournament 12 months ago. There is plenty on the line for the Serbian who could equal Roger Federer’s record for most men’s titles won at SW19 and break the overall record for most major singles won in the sport if he triumphs over the Spaniard. Djokovic currently has 24 Grand Slam trophies to his name which is the same as Margaret Court, who won some of her titles before the Open Era started. 

“Obviously I’m aware that Roger [Federer] holds eight Wimbledons. I hold seven. History is on the line.” Djokovic said on Friday after beating Lorenzo Musetti.

“Also, the 25th potential Grand Slam. Of course, it serves as a great motivation, but at the same time it’s also a lot of pressure and expectations.”

Coming into Wimbledon, there had been doubts over Djokovic’s form after he underwent surgery to treat a knee injury he suffered at the French Open. However, he has defied the odds to reach the final. His run has also seen him beat Alexi Popyrin and Holger Rune before getting a walkover in the quarter-finals from Alex de Minaur, who sustained an injury during the tournament. Then on Friday, he overcame a spirited Musetti in three sets. 

Despite the challenge, Djokovic has insisted that his expectations to do well are always high no matter what the situation is. During what has been a roller-coaster first six months of the season, he is yet to win a title this year or beat a player currently ranked in the top 10. Although he will achieve both of these if her beats Alcaraz on Sunday. 

“Every time I step out on the court now, even though I’m 37 and competing with the 21-year-olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win, whatever, 99% of the matches that I play.” He said.

“I always have to come out on the court and perform my best in order to still be at the level with Carlos [Alcaraz] or Jannik [Sinner] or Sascha [Zverev] or any of those guys, Daniil [Medvedev]. 

“This year hasn’t been that successful for me. It’s probably the weakest results the first six months I’ve had in many years. That’s okay. I had to adapt and accept that and really try to find also way out from the injury that I had and kind of regroup.”

Djokovic hopes that a Wimbledon win will help turn his season around like it has done in the past for him. 

“Wimbledon historically there’s been seasons where I wasn’t maybe playing at a desired level, but then I would win a Wimbledon title and then things would change.” He commented.

“For example, that was the case in 2018 when I had elbow surgery earlier in the year, dropped my rankings out of top 20, losing in fourth round of Australian Open, I think it was quarters of Roland-Garros, and just not playing the tennis that I want to play. Then I won Wimbledon and then won US Open and then later on became No.1 very soon.”

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Alcaraz is hoping to stop Djokovic in his tracks. Should he defend his title at Wimbledon, he would become the first player outside the Big Three to do so since Pete Sampras more than 20 years ago. He has won their only previous meeting on the grass but trails their head-to-head 3-2. 

“I’m sure he knows what he has to do to beat me,” said Alcaraz.

“But I’m ready to take that challenge and I’m ready to do it well.”

When the two players take to the court to play in the Wimbledon final, Djokovic will be 15 years and 348 days older than Alcaraz. Making it the largest age gap in a men’s Grand Slam final since the 1974 US Open. Whoever is victorious will receive £2,700,000 in prize money. 

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