Alexander Zverev’s 2025 season began with a blaze of promise at the Australian Open, where he reached the final, only to fall to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. The world No. 3, riding high on his Melbourne run, seemed poised to dominate the ATP Tour. Yet, as the clay courts of Europe beckoned, Zverev’s momentum faltered. A bold but ill-fated decision to embark on the South American clay swing in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro has left him questioning his choices. “I shouldn’t have gone to South America,” Zverev admitted candidly. “I lost a lot of matches I should have won, matches I was in a winning position in.” His early-season struggles on clay, culminating in a gritty but victorious start at the 2025 Munich Open, paint a picture of a champion grappling with form, fatigue, and the weight of expectations.
Zverev’s Australian Open campaign was a testament to his resilience. After a dramatic semifinal upset over Novak Djokovic, who retired injured, Zverev stood on the cusp of his first Grand Slam title. The final against Sinner, however, exposed vulnerabilities, with the Italian’s precision and relentless baseline play overwhelming Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3. “Jannik is better than me at the moment. It’s as simple as that,” Zverev said post-match, acknowledging Sinner’s dominance. Despite the loss, his 30th win at Melbourne Park surpassed Boris Becker’s record for the most Australian Open singles victories by a German man, a milestone that underscored his elite status.
The transition to clay, however, proved jarring. Opting for the “Golden Swing” in South America—a departure from his usual hard-court preparation—Zverev aimed to fine-tune his game on the red dirt ahead of Roland Garros, his primary 2025 goal. “It’s no secret my main focus is Roland Garros,” he said, citing the need to adapt to his new racket on clay. But the decision backfired. In Buenos Aires, he squandered a set-and-break lead, falling in the quarterfinals. Rio brought another quarterfinal exit, this time trailing 4-1 in the third set before losing. “Of course I haven’t played particularly well. I lost to a lot of guys that I should have beaten,” Zverev told reporters, his frustration palpable. These losses, coupled with early exits at Indian Wells and Miami—where he let slip a break lead against Arthur Fils—marked a troubling 11-6 record for the season.
Munich offered a glimmer of hope. As the top seed at the BMW Open, now an ATP 500 event, Zverev kicked off his campaign with a 6-4, 6-1 thrashing of Alexandre Muller. The victory, his third in Munich following titles in 2017 and 2018, boosted his confidence on home soil. Yet, even this win came with caveats. Zverev’s recent loss to Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo, where he struggled with consistency, highlighted ongoing challenges. “I’m just not playing good tennis at the moment,” he admitted after a tough defeat in Indian