Alexander Zverev, the towering German tennis star, stands at a crossroads in his career, lauded as one of the game’s elite yet perpetually shadowed by his elusive pursuit of a Grand Slam title. At 28, the world No. 3 has amassed an enviable resume—24 ATP Tour singles titles, an Olympic gold medal, and two ATP Finals crowns—but the absence of a major championship has become the focal point of scrutiny. Former world No. 1 and 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick recently weighed in on this narrative, passionately defending Zverev while pinpointing what he calls “the biggest knock” against him: the unfair comparison to tennis titans like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. Roddick’s candid remarks, made on his *Served* podcast, have reignited discussions about Zverev’s place in the sport and the pressures he faces as he chases that coveted major.
Zverev’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Fresh off a runner-up finish at the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart, where he fell to Taylor Fritz in a 6-3, 7-6(0) defeat, Zverev also suffered a disheartening quarterfinal exit to Novak Djokovic at the French Open. Critics pounced on his performance, noting his inability to sustain momentum after winning the first set against Djokovic. Yet Roddick sees a different story, one of resilience and remarkable recovery. Reflecting on Zverev’s devastating ankle injury during his 2022 French Open match against Nadal, Roddick marveled at his comeback. “When Zverev was playing Nadal a couple years ago, Roland Garros broke his ankle and couldn’t put any weight on it? At that point, did we think that he would reach a career-high ranking in 2024? Probably not,” he said. For Roddick, Zverev’s ascent to world No. 2 and consistent deep runs in majors—three finals, including the 2020 US Open, 2024 French Open, and 2025 Australian Open—prove his mettle.
The “biggest knock,” as Roddick sees it, isn’t a flaw in Zverev’s game but the towering shadow cast by the sport’s greatest. “The biggest mark against him is that he’s not Roger, Rafa, Novak, Alcaraz, or Sinner,” Roddick stated bluntly. “The biggest knock is that he is pretty clearly the best player to have not won a major at this point in his career.” This label, while a testament to Zverev’s talent, carries a burden. The German has been outshone by the meteoric rise of Alcaraz and Sinner, who, at 21 and 23, boast a combined 7-0 record in Grand Slam finals. Zverev, meanwhile, is 0-3, with heartbreaking five-set losses to Dominic Thiem, Alcaraz, and Sinner. “I’m not going to criticise someone and pretend like they haven’t accomplished a lot because they haven’t accomplished the thing,” Roddick added, urging fans to appreciate Zverev’s seven Masters 1000 titles and Olympic triumph.
Zverev’s game, particularly his serve, has drawn high praise from Roddick, who called him “the most efficient server in tennis at the moment, with over 75% of first serves.” This weapon, honed after years of addressing double-fault issues, has propelled Zverev to victories like the 2024 Paris Masters and Italian Open. Yet, his forehand remains a point of contention, with critics arguing it lacks the aggression needed to close out big matches. Roddick dismisses simplistic calls for Zverev to play closer to the baseline as “lazy analysis,” explaining, “His swing is so big on the forehand side, I think it’s borderline idiotic to just say go two feet inside the court.” Instead, he suggests Zverev leverage his 6’6” frame to serve-and-volley more, capitalizing on his world-class backhand to approach the net strategically.
The pressure on Zverev is palpable, especially with the Wimbledon Championships looming. As he prepares for the Halle Open, facing Marcos Giron in the first round, the German knows every tournament is a chance to silence doubters. Roddick empathizes with Zverev’s “weird place,” where reaching a Grand Slam final—only to lose—is deemed a failure. “Imagine you then winning that competition for two weeks and then losing to one person and people going that’s a failure,” he said. “That’s a weird place to be.” Zverev himself has expressed frustration, noting after his Australian Open loss that he doesn’t want to be remembered as the best without a Slam. With his resilience, lethal serve, and Roddick’s vocal support, Zverev’s quest for that defining moment remains one of tennis’s most compelling narratives, as fans await the day he finally breaks through.
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