Federer reveals Zverev’s biggest problem

Tennis legend Roger Federer has identified a key reason why German number one Alexander Zverev is still waiting for his first Grand Slam victory.

“I see a player who plays far too passively and far too defensively when it matters most,” said the 43-year-old at a press conference for sports equipment manufacturer Wilson in the run-up to the Laver Cup in Berlin – and drew a comparison to another big name: “We saw that with Andy Murray at the beginning of his career: His DNA was to withdraw – and I think that against the best players in the hot phase of a tournament, your opponent will always feel so comfortable on the offensive that you have to take the initiative yourself.”

That’s exactly what the Swiss missed in Zverev’s semi-final defeat at the US Open against the American Taylor Fritz. Federer believes “that Sascha has to keep reminding himself not to be too passive. Then something really big can happen to him!”

In Federer’s eyes, Zverev has all the prerequisites to triumph in one of the four biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar. “I’ve played against him very, very often: he’s a wonderful player, he has one of the best backhands ever,” enthused the 20-time Grand Slam champion and record Wimbledon winner: “He’s great on the defensive – but to win, you have to go for the victories, they won’t just come to you. Especially the first one!”

If Zverev ever manages to win his first ever Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon or US Open, Federer’s experience could be an initial spark: “After the first Grand Slam title, it might work a little bit beyond your self-confidence.”

But to do that, the 27-year-old German must abandon his passivity on the court and “believe in it, he must train it and must feel it with every fibre of his body that this is the way for the future,” said Federer, but at the same time qualified: “That is only my opinion, which does not automatically mean that everything is right.” Only he knows what is going on in his head when he retreats to the court and plays from further back.”

At the moment, however, he is especially “very happy to see that Zverev has come back so strongly after his injury, because of course it was not an easy path for him.” Zverev twisted his ankle in the French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal in June 2022 when the score was 6:7, 6:6 and, according to his own statement, tore all three lateral ligaments in his right ankle. He was then out for around six months.

At the Laver Cup, which begins on Friday in Berlin’s Uber Arena, Zverev will compete for “Team Europe” in a duel with “Team World” alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Gregor Dimitrov, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas.