Breaking News: Alexander Zverev Takes a Jab at Olympic Games as Questions Inclusive of ‘Best Players’
Alexander Zverev has claimed that the world’s best tennis players are “always going to play the Olympics” in comments critical of those choosing to play elsewhere.
World No 4 Zverev will go into the men’s singles event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games next weekend as the reigning champion, beating Karen Khachanov to take home the gold medal in Tokyo three years ago.
Zverev is joined by Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s event, while Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff headline the women’s singles.
However, several big names will not be in action, with the likes of Andrey Rublev, Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur and Emma Raducanu skipping the event, which is being held at Roland Garros.
Two criticisms of the Olympics are the change in surface to clay, just weeks out from the US Open, and the lack of ranking points available.
Several leading ATP and WTA stars – including Americans Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton – will play at the 500-level event in Washington D.C the same week as the Olympics, starting their hard-court summers.
Speaking to InsideSport at the Hamburg Open, Zverev claimed he would never play an ATP 500 event in place of the Olympics, describing it as one of the most “important” events on tour.
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“The ITF or the Olympics are not best friends with the ATP, that’s not a secret,” he said.
“Everybody continues their own tour. Yes, the Olympics is one of the, if not the, most important events we have in sports.
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“So, the best players in the world are always going to play the Olympics over anything else, over points and over prize money. All the top players went to Wimbledon a few years back, despite having no points on the line.
“It’s about prestige, it’s not about points or money. It’s about winning these kinds of titles and having medals for your country. That’s what it’s about.
“I would never choose to play a 500 event over the Olympics. There are no thoughts on that, and I think Washington is going to be quite an interesting 500 event, I would say.”
Zverev is currently set to be the fourth seed at Paris 2024, and will be among the leading contenders to win a second gold medal this summer.
Only Sinner and Alcaraz have earned more ranking points than the German this season, with the world No 4 winning one of the biggest titles of his career at the Italian Open.
Zverev also has a strong pedigree at Roland Garros, losing to Alcaraz in the final last month, and reaching three straight French Open semi-finals before that.
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If Alexander Zverev plays like he did against Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, he can dominate any player” – Roger Federer’s ex-coach
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Former Olympic gold medalist for Switzerland and former coach to Roger Federer, Marc Rosset, has expressed his strong faith in German player Alexander Zverev in a recent interview. He used Zverev’s performance against Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros as a strong example of the German’s potential to play aggressively while maintaining his confidence.
Rosset reflected on Alexander Zverev’s playing ability, where his precise baseline shots and strategic court coverage against the king of clay, Nadal, impressed many legends, like Rosset himself. With the Olympics approaching and returning to clay courts after a long while, Zverev could be at a potential advantage in winning a gold medal for Germany.
TrendingTalking about the German’s potential dominance for years to come, Rosset said,
“When Alexander plays aggressively, he is the most dominant tennis player as he did against Nadal at Roland Garros, he can dominate any player.”
Rosset further addressed that, despite Zverev’s issues with officiating bodies, his aggression still makes him exciting to watch in the current era of calm and composed players.
According to Rosset, if Alexander Zverev maintains his offensive mindset and continues to refine his game, he has the potential to dominate the ATP circuit and challenge the top players for titles consistently. This perspective aligns with the evolving narrative of tennis, as younger players are rising to the highest stage, asserting themselves as new champions.
Alexander Zverev leads the charge to dethrone the Big Three with his aggression and resilience
The “Big Three‘ comprising Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, have dominated tennis for over two decades. They share a staggering 66 Grand Slam titles, with Novak Djokovic continuing to extend his record.
With the entrance of the young and talented Alexander Zverev, the German powerhouse has been spearheading the “Next Gen’ tag on his shoulders alongside other major players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and others.
With Roger Federer’s former coach, Marc Rosset, praising Zverev’s style as ‘playing missiles,‘ his confidence is sure to get a huge boost heading into the Paris Olympics.
Zverev’s game isn’t all brute force, though. His unorthodox, yet effective baseline game has helped him secure wins over Nadal and Djokovic on his path to a Grand Slam title. Zverev remains focused on his next challenge as he prepares to repeat his 2020 success at the Olympics and make his country proud.
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