‘Alexander Zverev won’t be able to say he did everything he could to win a Grand Slam’
Alexander Zverev has been urged to try “something different” as a former ATP Tour star discussed his quest to win a Grand Slam title.
World No 3 Zverev, who has been ranked as high as second, is considered by many to be one of the best players not to win a major title.
The German has lost three Grand Slam finals: to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 French Open, and Jannik Sinner at the 2025 Australian Open. He has also fallen at the semi-final stage at majors on seven occasions.
Zverev has secured 24 singles titles, including an Olympic gold medal, two ATP Finals crowns and seven Masters 1000 titles.
The 28-year-old was dismantled 6-1, 6-2 by world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the Madrid Masters final earlier this month — his ninth consecutive defeat to the Italian.
Arnaud Clement — who lost to Andre Agassi in the 2001 Australian Open final — was forthright as he discussed Zverev on Eurosport France.
“I don’t think Zverev, looking back, will be able to say he did everything he could to win a Grand Slam,” said the former world No 10 (translated from French).
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“I remember the discourse that existed back in the days of the Big Three or Big Four. It wasn’t the same as Zverev’s, who is completely resigned.
“They (the other top 10 players) were capable of beating [Roger] Federer, they were capable of beating any player, but he said the hard part is that to win a Grand Slam, you have to beat two or three. Now, they’re stuck on the first one.
“I would prefer, at some point, that Zverev loses while making 30 unforced errors, only attempting winners or only serving and volleying. He might lose 6-1, 6-2, but he would have tried something different.
“I find it terrible to lose 6-1, 6-2, or even 6-3, 6-3 while playing a system of play in which he knows perfectly well he can’t win.”
Zverev is currently in action at the Italian Open — a Masters 1000 tournament he is aiming to win for the third time after victories in 2017 and 2024.
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