The persistent narrative surrounding Alexander Zverev’s career reached a fever pitch after his recent defeat in the French Open final, prompting former US Open champion Andy Roddick to deliver a stark, yet empathetic, assessment of the immense pressure now weighing on the German star. Roddick’s pointed question, “Does he want to be the best player to have never won a Major?”, encapsulates the agonizing dilemma facing a player of immense talent who has consistently fallen short on the sport’s grandest stages.
Zverev, currently ranked World No. 3, has long been touted as a future Grand Slam champion. His resume outside of the majors is undeniably impressive: 24 ATP Tour titles, including two ATP Finals victories (the prestigious year-end championship featuring the top eight players), and an Olympic gold medal from Tokyo 2020. He has consistently been a formidable presence in ATP Masters 1000 events, boasting seven titles at that level. Yet, the Grand Slam singles title has remained agonizingly elusive.
His journey in major tournaments has been a tale of tantalizing near-misses. He has now reached three Grand Slam finals, and each time, the trophy has slipped from his grasp. The most recent was his heartbreaking five-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros 2024, a match where he led by two sets to one before Alcaraz mounted a stunning comeback. Before that, he lost the 2020 US Open final to Dominic Thiem, also in a fifth-set tie-break, after holding a two-set lead. His defeat in the 2025 Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner was a more straightforward affair, a straight-sets loss that still underscored the mental hurdle he faces in major finals.
Roddick, who himself battled with the immense expectations of a Grand Slam drought after his 2003 US Open win, understands the unique burden Zverev carries. “It’s now win a Slam or bust,” Roddick remarked, highlighting the shift in public perception. “It’s almost as if people aren’t concerned about all his semi-finals.” This sentiment perfectly captures the relentless scrutiny that comes with being a top player who repeatedly reaches the latter stages of majors but cannot convert them into titles. Zverev has indeed been a regular fixture in Grand Slam semi-finals, demonstrating his consistent high level of play, but in the eyes of many, these achievements are now overshadowed by the absence of that ultimate prize.
The former American ace also delved into the technical aspects of Zverev’s game, particularly his forehand. Roddick suggested that it’s “the technique of his forehand, not the intent” that sometimes holds Zverev back, particularly when trying to play more aggressively from closer to the baseline. Zverev, with his tall frame, often plays from well behind the baseline, giving him time to set up his powerful shots. While this works against many opponents, Roddick implied it can be a disadvantage against the very top players who can rush him and exploit that extra time. “He is elite at playing behind the baseline. He needs the time to set his forehand. When your swing is so big and has a hard time creating speed, you can’t close in to Novak and expect results, there are reasons he can’t that are well explained by Roddick,”1 one analysis expanding on Roddick’s point noted. This technical aspect, if not addressed, could continue to be a barrier against the likes of Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz, who possess the ability to dictate play from anywhere on the court.
Beyond the technical, there’s a strong undercurrent of mental pressure. Rafael Nadal, another legendary figure in the sport, has also weighed in on Zverev’s struggles, attributing them more to psychological barriers than a lack of skill. “Unfortunately, I think it’s all in his head because given his level of tennis, he should have won one by now,” Nadal reportedly stated. This perspective is echoed by others who point to Zverev’s difficulty in adapting when faced with adversity in major finals, becoming passive and hoping his opponent will make errors rather than actively taking control. “This match clearly showed us why Zverev has not won a Grand Slam title yet,” former French Open mixed-doubles champion Marion Bartoli remarked after a recent Zverev loss, adding that when “Nole’s reaction” came, Zverev “didn’t know what to do anymore.”
For Alexander Zverev, the coming seasons will be crucial. The question posed by Andy Roddick looms large, challenging him to overcome not just his formidable opponents, but also the internal demons that have, thus far, prevented him from claiming his rightful place among Grand Slam champions. The tennis world awaits to see if he can finally break through and shed the unwanted title of “best player to have never won a Major.”
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