With less than a month until the 2020 ATP Tour season concludes Alexander Zverev has plenty to smile about.
The German tennis star is currently on an eight-match winning streak after claiming back-to-back titles in Cologne to bring his career tally to 13. Six more than any other professional male player born after 1994. He has also enjoyed success in the Grand Slams with him playing in his first ever final against Dominic Thiem at the US Open which he lost in five sets. Zverev also reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
“I think it’s difficult to single out a single moment (in 2020). I invested a lot of time and energy to reach a Grand Slam semi-final. The pressure was great and it’s great that the hard work has finally paid off with great results in Melbourne and New York,” he said during an interview with Gala.
“There are many difficult moments in a player’s career and more is still expected. That is why it means a lot to be present on the last weekend of a Grand Slam.”
Undoubtedly his biggest heartbreak occurred during his clash against Thiem in New York. Zverev led the final by two sets to one before his rival battled back to clinch victory in dramatic fashion. The 23-year-old admits that he still thinks about the match as he aims to clinch his maiden Grand Slam title in the coming years. So far in his career, Zverev’s biggest triumph was at the 2018 ATP Finals.
“Of course, I still think about the fact that I was two points away from victory and my decisions in the fifth set. That is normal. I hope that I will have good chances again next year and in the years to come and at some point I can win the trophy,” he said.
Life on the Tour can be tough at times with the constant travel and living up to high expectations. So how does the world No.7 unwind after a match? For him the key is either playing a game of FIFA with his friends or watching TV shows such as ‘The Grand Tour.’ A TV programme on Amazon Prime about cars.
Unlike others Zverev said he never idolised a specific role model growing up but there were some athletes who he would ‘look up to’ from both the world of tennis and basketball. He is a keen follower of the NBA and is a fan of the Miami Heat.
“Role models may be the wrong word as I’ve always tried to go my own way. But as a child I always looked up to Roger Federer. He was my idol and embodied everything I wanted to be. I also like Dirk Nowitzki and Dwayne Wade. They were basketball icons growing up. They were amazing and just unstoppable,” Zverev revealed.
Zverev is set to return to action next week at the Paris Masters. He currently has a win-loss record of 23-8 this season.
