Alexander Zverev Archives - Tennishead https://tennishead.net/tennis/alexander-zverev/ Tennis is EVERYTHING Fri, 09 Feb 2024 14:59:26 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://tennishead.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cropped-tennishead-favicon-32x32.png Alexander Zverev Archives - Tennishead https://tennishead.net/tennis/alexander-zverev/ 32 32 Daniil Medvedev latest star to join Carlos Alcaraz in Laver Cup’s Team Europe https://tennishead.net/daniil-medvedev-latest-star-to-join-carlos-alcaraz-in-laver-cups-team-europe/ Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:19:23 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=277880 Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev have been revealed as the two newest additions to join debutant Carlos Alcaraz in the […]

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Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev - Indian Wells 2023

Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev have been revealed as the two newest additions to join debutant Carlos Alcaraz in the star-studded Team Europe lineup for the 2024 Laver Cup. 

The seventh edition of the tournament will take place in Berlin from September 20-22 and Bjorn Borg’s Europe will be eager to reclaim the Cup after a two-year drought.

Just months after last year’s event, tournament organisers wasted little time in announcing the recruitment of Alcaraz for this year’s lineup in a bid to escalate ticket sales.

The world No.2 will be making his first appearance at the competition, though he will have a smidge of experience to draw from in Medvedev and Zverev – both past champions.

“Team Europe is super motivated to win back the Cup in Berlin,” Borg said in a press release.

“With Daniil, Sascha and Carlos on my team, I think we have an excellent chance of making that happen. The guys have had an incredible start to the year, and this is a really strong first half of our line-up. I’m thrilled to have these champions in the fold for 2024.”

Daniil Medvedev key to Europe success?

Team Europe stormed to consecutive victories in the opening four editions of the Laver Cup, which began in 2017, but have since registered disappointing outings.

Their downfall can be partially attributed to the rise in calibre on the other side of the net – Team World’s average ranking was higher at the 2023 instalment for the first time since the tournament’s inception.

But world No.3 Medvedev is one of the tour’s in form players after reaching the final of the Australian Open in January, and could be key in reclaiming the Cup.

Having not featured since he lifted the trophy with the Blues in 2021, the Russian poses an additional threat to the already jacked lineup.


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Who will be Rafael Nadal’s biggest challengers at Roland-Garros this year? https://tennishead.net/who-will-be-rafael-nadal-biggest-challengers-at-roland-garros-this-year/ Tue, 06 Feb 2024 10:16:59 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=277375 Rafael Nadal has openly declared that 2024 is likely to be his final season on tour, but who are the […]

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Rafael Nadal - Roland Garros 2022

Rafael Nadal has openly declared that 2024 is likely to be his final season on tour, but who are the Spaniard’s biggest threats to a triumphant ‘last hurrah’ at Roland-Garros?

Nadal is a record 14-time champion at the Paris major, having lost only three of his 115 matches on the French clay over the years.


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However, after spending nearly a year on the injury sidelines, the former world No.1 is likely to be unseeded in May and could play anyone from the first round of the tournament.

So we, at Tennishead, have listed the five players that we believe pose the biggest threat to the ‘king of clay’ this year:

Novak Djokovic

It kind of goes without saying that at any tournament and at any stage of his career, Novak Djokovic has and will always be one of the biggest threats to Rafael Nadal.

Although Nadal has an overwhelming head-to-head over Djokovic on clay, the Serbian is actually the only player to beat the 14-time champion twice at Roland-Garros.

The first of these came in 2015, when Nadal was on a 39-match winning streak at the tournament, however Djokovic put an abrupt halt to that in a straight sets quarter-final victory.

Nadal went on a streak again between 2017 and 2020, winning four titles in a row, before meeting Djokovic in the 2021 semi-finals.

Despite winning the first set, the Mallorcan was pegged back by Djokovic and beaten in a four set classic on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The following year, Nadal did get revenge over Djokovic en route to his 14th title in Paris, but Djokovic won his third title at the tournament in the Spaniard’s absence last year.

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Carlos Alcaraz

From someone who has a lot of history at Roland-Garros in Djokovic, to a player with a relatively new history at the tournament, Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz made only his third main draw appearance at the tournament last year, impressing with a semi-final run that ended in a cramp affected defeat to the aforementioned Djokovic.

The 20-year-old has become a constant threat at every tournament he plays in and is certainly not shy of the big occasion, leaving him as a big threat at Roland Garros in 2024.

Although they have only played on three occasions, Alcaraz has the most recent victory over compatriot Rafael Nadal in an encounter on the clay of Madrid.

And it is the clay in his home capital where Alcaraz has thrived the most, claiming the Masters 1000 crown in back-to-back seasons.

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Casper Ruud

Since being one victory away from becoming world No.1 at the 2022 US Open, Casper Ruud has not managed to reach the same heights.

However, the Norwegian has still been able to showcase his clay court prowess and reached a second consecutive Roland-Garros final last year.

This resulted in another straight sets final defeat, but Ruud is undoubtedly one of the strongest clay court players in the world, with nine of his 10 ATP titles coming on the dirt.

Being a Rafael Nadal Academy graduate, Ruud unsurprisingly idolises the 22-time Grand Slam champion and does not appear to have overcome that obstacle yet.

In their two previous meetings, that include the 2022 Roland Garros final, Ruud has not managed to win a single set and won only six games in their three set match on Court Philippe Chatrier two years ago.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas 

Like Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas has slightly fallen down the rankings in recent months, but is always a threat on the clay and was one set away from the Roland-Garros title in 2021.

Not only does the Greek have pedigree at the Paris major, but he also has a rare victory on clay over Rafael Nadal, that took place at the Madrid Masters almost five years ago.

Nadal does combat this with three victories over Tsitsipas on the dirt of his own, but with the Spaniard’s lack of fitness it may be difficult to keep up with the 25-year-old over a best-of-five set format.

However, the Greek will be hoping for a better build-up to Roland Garros in 2024, having not reached a Masters 1000 final on clay for the first time since 2020 last year.

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Alexander Zverev

The final biggest threat to Nadal in this list is Alexander Zverev, who has been a match away from the Roland-Garros final in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

This included a gruelling semi-final with Rafael Nadal in 2022, with the first two sets lasting over three hours before the German tore all three ligaments after rolling his right ankle.

As expected, Nadal has an overwhelming lead in their head-to-head on clay, but Zverev is likely to be very hungry to avenge the trauma of that aforementioned semi-final.

However, with Zverev’s pending court case expected to take place during Roland-Garros his year, his mind may be elsewhere.

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Honourable Mention

There are several other names that we could have added to this list, including Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev, but our honourable mention is Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner.

Despite Sinner not being known for his clay court game, the Italian has reached the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros and won a title on the dirt of Umag back in 2022.

To make sure you don’t miss Rafael Nadal in his possible last ever appearance at Roland-Garros, where he’ll try to win a truly remarkable 15th title, you can guarantee the best tickets along with premium hospitality from our friends at Sports Travel & Hospitality Group (STH Group).

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Daniil Medvedev reveals he ‘will be the happiest man on the planet’ if he wins the Australian Open https://tennishead.net/daniil-medvedev-reveals-he-will-be-the-happiest-man-on-the-planet-if-he-wins-the-australian-open/ Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:20:42 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=274050 Daniil Medvedev has fought back from two-sets-to-love down for the second time at the 2024 Australian Open, as he hopes […]

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Daniil Medvedev - Australian Open 2024

Daniil Medvedev has fought back from two-sets-to-love down for the second time at the 2024 Australian Open, as he hopes to be ‘third time lucky’ at the Melbourne major.

Medvedev trailed sixth seed Alexander Zverev, 5-7 3-6, before fighting back to win two tie-break sets and then the decider, 6-3.

The Russian had played five sets in the quarter-final as well against Hubert Hurkacz, and had fought back from two sets down against Emil Ruusuvuori in the second round.

It will be a sixth Grand Slam final for Medvedev, and his third at the Australian Open, with the former No.1 hoping for a change in fate after previous final losses to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

“I managed to win and I’m very proud,” said Medvedev. “First of all we say third time lucky so let’s see. I can say from experience it doesn’t always work but hopefully in Australia they have this phrase.

“It will mean a lot because this court is not my best court in terms of my performance and self-esteem and that’s why I have had to dig deep. I will be the happiest man on the planet (if I win) but I will have to play pretty well and win three sets on Sunday.”

Jannik Sinner will be Medvedev’s opponent on Sunday, after the Italian ended the aforementioned Djokovic’s 33-match winning streak at the Australian Open earlier today.

Inside the baseline…

It was an absolutely titanic effort from Daniil Medvedev, who has fought so hard to work his way into the Australian Open final once again. Fatigue is certainly going to be present in the final for the Russian, especially against Sinner who has only dropped one set throughout the tournament. However, Medvedev does have the psychological edge of playing five previous Grand Slam finals and winning the US Open back in 2021.


READ NEXT: How to watch the Australian Open


Daniil Medvedev vs Jannik Sinner head-to-head

Medvedev may have the lead in the head-to-head with Sinner, but he has been defeated by the Italian in all three of their most recent meetings:

Medvedev vs Sinner: 6-3

  1. Medvedev beat Sinner, 1-6 6-1 6-2 (Marseille 2020, Second Round)
  2. Medvedev beat Sinner, 6-2 6-4 (Marseille 2021, Quarter-final)
  3. Medvedev beat Sinner, 6-0 6(5)-7 7-6(8) (ATP Finals 2021, Round-Robin)
  4. Medvedev beat Sinner, 6-4 6-2 (Vienna 2022, Quarter-final)
  5. Medvedev beat Sinner, 5-7 6-2 6-2 (Rotterdam 2023, Final)
  6. Medvedev beat Sinner, 7-5 6-3 (Miami Masters 2023, Final)
  7. Sinner beat Medvedev, 7-6(2) 7-6(2) (Beijing 2023, Final)
  8. Sinner beat Medvedev, 7-6(7) 4-6 6-3 (Vienna 2023, Final)
  9. Sinner beat Medvedev, 6-3 6(4)-7 6-1 (ATP Finals 2023, Semi-final)

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Alexander Zverev ‘back in Grand Slam contention,’ says John McEnroe https://tennishead.net/alexander-zverev-back-in-grand-slam-contention-says-john-mcenroe/ Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:39:08 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=272690 John McEnroe says the dominant win over Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open proves that Alexander Zverev is back in […]

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Alexander Zverev

John McEnroe says the dominant win over Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open proves that Alexander Zverev is back in Grand Slam contention.

Zverev was, for a long time, the leader of the NextGen and many thought it was only a matter of time before he reached the top of tennis.

That hasn’t happened yet, although he did come agonizingly close to winning the US Open in 2020.

A serious foot injury sustained at the French Open in 2022, three hours but just two sets into an epic semi-final clash against Rafael Nadal also set him back, and he has not looked all that close to winning a Grand Slam since returning.

However, the level he showed in his victory over Alcaraz in Melbourne was the kind of level that wins you majors, and McEnroe thinks his time to strike may finally be here.

“He should’ve won a Grand Slam already,” McEnroe told Eurosport of Zverev. “He was up two sets and a break against [Dominic] Thiem at the US Open and should’ve won that.

“He served for the match in the fifth set but his nerves went. That was unfortunate. There is a guy by the name of [Novak] Djokovic and [Rafael] Nadal that have prevented him from winning one so far and have got in the way.

“When Zverev played Nadal at the French in 2022, it looked like he believed that maybe he could actually beat Rafa at the French Open.

“The only thing as tough as that is beating Novak Djokovic in Melbourne at the Australian Open. I believe he was very close but that injury set him back a year and a half.

“He’s finally back in the mix but while that’s been going on, other guys have stepped up. Djokovic is better than ever. [Carlos] Alcaraz has come along, [Jannik] Sinner is better, [Daniil] Medvedev is an obstacle. It hasn’t got easier, it’s got harder.”

Alexander Zverev will play Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open on Friday, with the winner facing either Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner for the title.

You can watch the Australian Open live on Eurosport and Discovery+.


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Carlos Alcaraz ‘showing best level’ to reach maiden Australian Open Quarter-final https://tennishead.net/carlos-alcaraz-showing-best-level-to-reach-maiden-australian-open-quarter-final/ Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:00:28 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=271842 Carlos Alcaraz has progressed to the first Australian Open quarter-final of his career, beating Miomir Kecmanovic in comfortable fashion on […]

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Carlos Alcaraz - Australian Open 2024

Carlos Alcaraz has progressed to the first Australian Open quarter-final of his career, beating Miomir Kecmanovic in comfortable fashion on Rod Laver Arena.

Alcaraz beat the Serbian, 6-4 6-4 6-0, and did not face a single break point as he continued to progress in Melbourne.

And the world No.2 was very pleased with his performance, “Today was a good match, but I pushed him to the limit on every ball and every point.

“He has played a lot of tough five-set matches before this one, so physically he probably wasn’t 100%. Every ball I pushed him to the limit, moving him side to side, taking my chances in every set and a pretty good match for myself.”

Alcaraz will move onto perhaps his toughest test so far at the Australian Open in sixth seed Alexander Zverev, who beat the Spaniard in their most recent match at the ATP Finals in Turin.

However, the Wimbledon champion believes that he will have his chances if he continues to play at his ‘best level’ against the German.

“Playing at this level I will have my chances. He has played tough five-set matches. It’s going to be tough for him as well. I hope to play a top match,” explained Alcaraz. “I love playing against Sascha, both of us bring a high level of tennis. For the crowd, it’s a great match. I’ll try to bring my best tennis.”

The 20-year-old continued, “I’m feeling better and better every day. Every match that I’ve played on Rod Laver, I’ve been feeling more comfortable, and it’s a pleasure to play here, it’s an amazing and beautiful court.

“The people in Australia are so kind so I’m enjoying playing in front of [everyone]. I’m showing my best level. It feels like home. I hope to still feel better and better every day.”

Alcaraz will take on Zverev on Wednesday, as he looks to reach the first Australian Open semi-final of his career.

Inside the baseline…

Carlos Alcaraz appears to have found his feet in Melbourne, having dropped only one set at the tournament so far. Although Alexander Zverev has the upperhand in the head-to-head with Alcaraz (4-3), it is the Spaniard who won their most recent Grand Slam match, which was on the US Open hardcourts last year.


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Angelique Kerber reveals Olympic ‘dream’ ahead of return https://tennishead.net/angelique-kerber-reveals-olympic-dream-ahead-of-return/ Fri, 08 Dec 2023 12:00:40 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=266321 Angelique Kerber has revealed the likelihood of her partnering up with Alexander Zverev at the Paris Olympic Games, as well […]

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Angelique Kerber - Indian Wells 2022 and Alexander Zverev - Indian Wells 2023

Angelique Kerber has revealed the likelihood of her partnering up with Alexander Zverev at the Paris Olympic Games, as well as speaking about her ‘dream’ to carry the flag for Germany.

Kerber has not played since Wimbledon 2022, having fallen pregnant with her first child that she gave birth to in February this year.

The three-time Grand Slam champion is now eyeing a comeback, entering the upcoming United Cup and Adelaide International before making her Grand Slam return at the Australian Open.

And the 2016 Australian Open champion has provided an update on how she is feeling, “I’ve done everything, I feel good, we’re right on schedule. But it’s too early to make a prediction. In plain language: I have a really cold start in Australia and the most difficult one I’ve had so far. But that’s exactly what motivates me.”

When representing Germany at the United Cup, Kerber will be joined by compatriot Zverev, and the 35-year-old has suggested that she may team up with the ATP No.7 at the Paris Olympics.

“When we meet in Australia, we will definitely talk about it,” revealed Kerber. “It would make me very happy. The Olympics in Paris are the highlight and playing for Germany is always an honour.”

Kerber won silver at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and has spoken about the possibility of carrying the German flag at the opening ceremony next year, “It would be indescribable for any athlete to walk in with the German flag, and it’s also a dream of mine.”

The former No.1 will make her comeback at the United Cup with a singles match against Italian No.1 Jasmine Paolini on 30th December.

Inside the baseline…

The Australian Open women’s draw feels more exciting than ever before, with three former champions returning after recently having children (Kerber, Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki). Kerber has spoken about the potential of playing doubles with Zverev at the Olympics, something that they have previously done at the Hopman cup and may be required to do at the upcoming United Cup. In terms of being the flag bearer for Germany, Kerber will face some stiff competition from other sports and defending Olympic champion Zverev, at what could be her final Games.


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Alexander Zverev ‘has not developed his game’ claims former Wimbledon champion https://tennishead.net/alexander-zverev-has-not-developed-his-game-claims-former-wimbledon-champion/ Thu, 23 Nov 2023 03:21:31 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=264890 Former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich says Alexander Zverev has failed to develop his game and ‘take the next step’ in […]

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Alexander Zverev Indian Wells Masters 2021

Former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich says Alexander Zverev has failed to develop his game and ‘take the next step’ in his career.

Big things have been expected of Zverev pretty much since the moment he stepped foot on the ATP Tour as a teenager. He has delivered to an extent too, winning 21 career titles, getting to the US Open final and reaching number two in the world rankings in 2022.

However, the 26-year-old has not been able to develop into a regular serious contender for majors, and the deficiencies in his game have been laid bare by being overtaken by younger players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

That, according to Stich, is something Zverev has to own if he ever wants to become a truly elite player.

Speaking on a Sky Sports Germany podcast, Stich said: “In most cases the judgments of many observers are well-intentioned; they actually wish that he would take this next step so that he could become an even better tennis player.

“I think he always sees this as criticism of himself and his game – which it really isn’t. In the last three or four years – from my perspective – he hasn’t managed to really develop his game further. Whether he can and wants to do that, only he knows.”

Zverev finished the year ranked number seven and competing at the ATP Finals in Turin, a tournament that he was won before.

That has to be considered a fine result given he came into the season on the back of a serious foot injury that he sustained at Roland Garros last year.

In that regard, Stich is happy to give Zverev plenty of credit.

“It was a strong comeback year,” he said. “That was not to be expected, that has to be said very clearly. He was there at the finals.

“If in the summer someone had said: ‘Come on, boy, you’re in the Top 8 in Turin,’ he would have looked at them a bit strange at first. But he did it.”

Alexander Zverev ‘strong comeback year’

When Alexander Zverev went over on his ankle in the semi-final of Roland Garros against Rafael Nadal, the scream was audible. When replays showed what had happened, there wasn’t a viewer who could get through it without wincing.

He left the court on in a wheelchair and returned on crutches shortly after to concede the match. Scans the next day revealed significant ligament damage in his foot.

At that point a slow return to court was guaranteed and it being a smooth one looked very unlikely. This season, though, Zverev has done exceptionally well.

He won two titles – an ATP 500 in Hamburg and an ATP 250 in Chengdu. He also had a decent year in the majors too, reaching the semi-final of Roland Garros and the last eight at the US Open.

Where Zverev did struggle was against higher ranked players. He won just seven matches of 24 against players in the top ten. However, overall you would have to agree with Stich that Zverev’s comeback year was about as strong as could have been hoped for.

What the injury did do was apparently change Zverev’s perspective on his career.

“After an injury like that, you really appreciate the hard days, the fun days,” he said. “You enjoy being on the court. Most players realize this once they stop playing tennis because they have not experienced this major injury.

“I didn’t want this injury to happen, obviously, but it made me grow, it made me realize what tennis really means. If I get back to this level, if I win Grand Slams and become world number one, maybe I will look back and say that it was all worth it.”


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Alexander Zverev admits regrets over heated Daniil Medvedev spat https://tennishead.net/alexander-zverev-admits-regrets-over-heated-daniil-medvedev-spat/ Wed, 22 Nov 2023 03:07:08 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=264716 Alexander Zverev says he ‘regrets’ publicly accusing Daniil Medvedev of being an unsportsmanlike player, although he does stand by his […]

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Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev says he ‘regrets’ publicly accusing Daniil Medvedev of being an unsportsmanlike player, although he does stand by his comments.

The pair fell out after an eventful match at the Monte-Carlo Masters, which Medvedev won after Zverev served for the match.

Just before that service game, Medvedev inexplicably removed a net post, apparently to try and disrupt the resumption of play and Zverev’s rhythm.

It understandably upset Zverev, who was frosty to say the least with Medvedev at the handshake before quickly storming off court. He then gave an interview levelling some serious criticism at Medvedev, branding him ‘one of the most unfair players in the world.’

Looking back, Zverev says he probably should have handled it differently, although his observations appear to be unchanged.

“I’m a bit regretful about how I gave the interview,” Zverev told Sky Sports Germany. “I really believe that [was about] simply winning the match, not by playing tennis, and that’s something I hate.

“You can say a lot of things about me, but I never take a medical time out, I never go to the toilet unnecessarily. I don’t make any moves, I don’t do anything like that because I just don’t like it.

“I hate it when something like that is done, and I find it incredibly unsportsmanlike.

“At the end of the day, I should have come to him myself and told him: ‘hey, what the hell is this’ and not given an interview about it, but I was disappointed. I was angry at that moment.”

What did Alexander Zverev say about Daniil Medvedev?

Zverev was clearly immensely upset with Medvedev after that match, and his comments to Sky Sports Germany were cutting to say the least.

“He is one of the most unfair players in the world,” Zverev fumed. “I take fair play and sportsmanship very seriously. He does not. He takes a toilet break when it’s not possible anymore.”

(For fair context here, Medvedev did leave the court to go to the toilet at 4-3 in the third set, but because he returned within the standard changeover time that was within the rules.)

“There are 1000 situations in which he feels that I start to play better and in which he tries to do something every time. I’m extremely disappointed from him as an athlete.

“Of course, you can argue that it’s not good form from me that I get distracted. This should not happen to me and it’s totally my fault and it really was bad from my side.

“But still, I feel fair play should always be part of sports.”

Medvedev and Zverev have played each other 18 times during their careers with the Russian coming out on top in 11 of them.


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Boris Becker can get Holger Rune to the top, says Alexander Zverev https://tennishead.net/boris-becker-can-get-holger-rune-to-the-top-says-alexander-zverev/ Wed, 22 Nov 2023 01:35:28 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=264706 Alexander Zverev has backed Boris Becker to be a huge positive influence on the career of Holger Rune and they […]

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Boris Becker US Open 2015

Alexander Zverev has backed Boris Becker to be a huge positive influence on the career of Holger Rune and they extended their partnership into next season.

Former six-time Grand Slam winner Becker joined Rune’s team as a coach earlier this year, which represented something of a coup for the young Dane.

They have now opted to keep that relationship going into the 2024 season, and Zverev thinks it is a very shrewd move.

“He’s just a tennis expert,” Zverev told Sky Sports Germany of Becker.

“He understands tennis, he knows what it means to be at the top, he knows how to get there. I think he can help Holger a lot too.”

Becker has suffered severe reputational damage after serving time in a British prison due to bankruptcy fraud.

For Zverev, though, that should not be any kind of issue in terms of Becker resuming his coaching career.

“[It] has nothing to do with sports,” Zverev said. “From a sporting point of view, he is simply one of the greatest experts in tennis.

Zverev himself has worked with Becker when he held positions at the German Tennis Association (DTB), although the relationship never went further than that.

Asked if he himself would consider working with Becker again, Zverev replied: “Yes.

“But that won’t happen in the near future. He’s busy. It’s not possible now.”

Boris Becker ‘already improved’ Holger Rune

Becker has a more extensive tennis media career than he does a coaching one, although he has certainly made his mark.

He forged a fine partnership with Novak Djokovic for three years between 2014 and 2017. During that time, Djokovic win six majors, 14 Masters and two Tour Finals.

Djokovic got an early chance to see how his former mentor was helping Rune when they met at the Paris Masters, and he gave a glowing review, even if Rune was the loser on the day.

“He has been playing much better in the past few weeks since working with Boris,” Djokovic said at the Paris Masters earlier this month.

“It was strange seeing Boris in the opposing box, but I knew it might happen this week and I wish Holger and him all the best in Turin.”


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ATP Finals Permutations: Who can still qualify for the semi-finals? https://tennishead.net/atp-finals-permutations-who-can-still-qualify-for-the-semi-finals/ Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:00:21 +0000 https://tennishead.net/?p=262821 With the ATP Finals approaching the final round-robin matches, we at Tennishead have assessed the different scenarios that could take […]

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Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic - US Open 2023

With the ATP Finals approaching the final round-robin matches, we at Tennishead have assessed the different scenarios that could take place, with there even being a possibility that Novak Djokovic does not qualify for the semi-finals.

Green Group

The Green Group will be completed first and there is still plenty more to be decided between Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Holger Rune later today, with Stefanos Tsitsipas’ replacement Hubert Hurkacz unable to qualify with only one match in the tournament.

Although Sinner has won both of his matches so far, against Tsitsipas and Djokovic, there are still scenarios where the Italian home favourite does not qualify for the semi-finals.

Here are all of the possible permutations for the Green Group:

  • If Sinner beats Rune and Djokovic beats Hurkacz, then Sinner wins the group and Djokovic qualifies second.
  • If Sinner beats Rune and Hurkacz beats Djokovic, then Sinner wins the group and Djokovic qualifies second.
  • If Rune beats Sinner and Hurkacz beats Djokovic, then Rune wins the group and Sinner qualifies second.
  • If Rune beats Sinner in straight sets and Djokovic beats Hurkacz in straight sets, then Rune wins the group and Djokovic qualifies second.
  • If Rune beats Sinner and Djokovic beats Hurkacz in three sets, then Rune wins the group and Sinner qualifies second. 
  • If Djokovic beats Hurkacz in straight sets and Rune beats Sinner in three sets, then the order of Djokovic, Sinner and Rune will be determined by percentage of games won.

Red Group 

After beating Alexander Zverev last night, Daniil Medvedev confirmed his spot as the first player to reach the semi-finals at the 2023 ATP Finals.

However, his Russian compatriot Andrey Rublev suffered the opposite fate after losing his second round-robin match to Carlos Alcaraz, meaning that the world No.5 can no longer advance any further.

This leaves the final qualification spot for the Red Group between Alcaraz and Zverev, which will be decided on Friday.

Here are all the possible scenarios:

  • If Alcaraz beats Medvedev and Rublev beats Zverev, then Alcaraz wins the group and Medvedev qualifies second.
  • If Medvedev beats Alcaraz and Rublev beats Zverev, then Medvedev wins the group and Alcaraz qualifies second.
  • If Medvedev beats Alcaraz and Zverev beats Rublev, then Medvedev wins the group and Zverev qualifies second.
  • If Alcaraz beats Medvedev in straight sets and Zverev beats Rublev, then Alcaraz wins the group and Medvedev qualifies second.
  • If Alcaraz beats Medvedev in three sets and Zverev beats Rublev, then Medvedev wins the group and Alcaraz qualifies second.

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