Zverev: "You can now call me the worst Grand Slam winner of all time"

In Germany, a saying has been doing the rounds for some time now: Alexander Zverev is the best player in history who has never won a Grand Slam tournament. Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic usually stand in his way first, followed by the new super duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. But his most persistent opponent was Zverev himself. Until he was able to take advantage of the uniquely favorable constellation at the French Open.

After three defeats in the final

Alexander Zverev wins his first Grand Slam title in Paris

"You could call me the worst Grand Slam winner of all time. I couldn't care less," joked the 29-year-old from Hamburg late on Sunday evening in the media round. Already slightly tipsy, as he admitted. The five-set victory over Italian outsider Flavio Cobolli lifted a huge burden from the son of the former Soviet Davis Cup player of the same name. "We don't need to beat about the bush," tennis legend and TV pundit John McEnroe had already emphasized last week. "The pressure on Zverev has never been as great as it is now."

Following the withdrawal of two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz due to injury, the remaining top favorite Jannik Sinner also succumbed to the heat in the second round and sensationally retired. When, if not now, was it finally going to work out for Zverev?

Too passive, too anxious

At just 20 years old, Zverev won his first Masters 1000 titles in Rome and Montreal. A year later, he triumphed at the ATP Finals, and a second time in 2021. He also won singles gold at the Olympic Games. However, Zverev always failed on the biggest stage in tennis, the Grand Slam tournaments. He lost three times in the final, twice in five sets.

Zverev's problem is not his fitness, which is excellent. At 1.98 m tall, he moves extremely well, his backhand is one of the best in the world, as is his first serve. The North German's problem is his head. When it comes down to it, he becomes passive and hopes his opponent will make mistakes. That's enough against almost everyone, but not at the absolute top. There are no gifts there.

More risk because of the cramps

The familiar pattern was also evident in Sunday's final. In the fourth set, Zverev missed chance after chance and was on the verge of losing the victory. That's when he got cramps. "I don't think there was a physical reason. I just cramped up," Zverev said very openly afterwards. Although he lost the fourth set, he was clearly the better player in the fifth against a Cobolli, who was physically deteriorating. "The cramps actually helped me," Zverev believed. "I had to take more risks and let my shots go more."

In the end, he was able to lie down on the sand as the winner, the relief, the enormous weight that had fallen from his shoulders, was literally palpable. "Now I'm a Grand Slam champion. Nobody can take that away from me. Even if I lose another final." However, the redemption could also mean that Zverev will be mentally stronger in the future. He would be in good company.

In the footsteps of Agassi and Lendl

Andre Agassi also lost his first three Grand Slam finals, each time as the favorite. Ivan Lendl and Andy Murray even lost four major finals before they triumphed for the first time. And all three of them won their first title in five sets - like Zverev. And for all three of them, it didn't stop there.

"I hope that something has also broken through mentally for me," says Zverev. The victory gives him "a bit of freedom" and "a bit more calm". "Because if I had lost here too, my self-confidence would have dropped significantly," said the Hamburg native. "But now that I've won, I have the feeling that I can do it again."

Then he would no longer have his last "problem" from Sunday evening. When asked how he would now celebrate the biggest success of his career, Zverev smiled and simply said: "I don't know. I've never had a celebration before."