On June 4, 2025, Alexander Zverev’s quest for a maiden Grand Slam title was halted in the French Open quarterfinals by a resurgent Novak Djokovic, who delivered a tactical masterclass to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The 28-year-old German, ranked No. 3 in the world, started strong, clinching the first set, but faltered as Djokovic’s relentless drop shots and varied play exposed Zverev’s struggles in cold, windy conditions. The defeat, Zverev’s eighth consecutive quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros, sparked sharp criticism from tennis legend Boris Becker, who questioned Zverev’s coaching setup and passive approach. In a fiery response at the Stuttgart Open press conference, Zverev shot back, “I lost to Novak Djokovic, not to Hans Peter, who is ranked 250 in the world,” defending his performance and signaling his resolve to compete with the sport’s elite.
Zverev’s match against Djokovic was a tale of two halves. The German dominated early, leveraging his powerful serve to win 17 of 18 first-serve points in the opening set, sealed with an ace. “In the first set, when the sun was not completely down, I could still hit some winners and do some damage with my serve,” Zverev said, noting the initial 20-degree warmth on the court. But as temperatures dropped to 15 degrees, the slower conditions blunted his groundstrokes. “I felt like my groundstrokes, every time I tried to be aggressive, I was not really doing much. It was difficult for me to find a solution in the cold conditions,” he admitted. Djokovic, deploying 35 drop shots to exploit Zverev’s deep positioning, turned the match into a cat-and-mouse game, winning a pivotal 41-shot rally in the fourth set to secure a break. “I didn’t know how to win a point from the baseline against him,” Zverev confessed, acknowledging Djokovic’s superior adaptation.
Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion, didn’t hold back in his analysis, criticizing Zverev’s “passive” play and urging him to part ways with his father, Alexander Sr., and brother, Mischa, as coaches. “You get the impression that he plays in the same rut against the top players and hopes that the result will be good,” Becker said, suggesting a new environment could unlock Zverev’s potential. He pointed to Rafael Nadal’s success with coaches like Ivan Lendl and Juan Carlos Ferrero as a model, warning that younger stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are outpacing Zverev. “The dream of a Grand Slam title isn’t over, but with every missed opportunity, it becomes more difficult,” Becker noted, emphasizing the urgency for change.
Zverev, however, was unapologetic. “When things are going well for me, I always do everything right. And when things go badly, everyone is very, very clever. Unfortunately, Boris is one of them,” he said in Stuttgart, where he arrived to compete in the BOSS Open for the first time in six years. He defended his team, crediting their work in helping him return to No. 2 in the world after a serious ankle injury in 2022. “I still see myself as a candidate to compete against the two guys up there,” he added, referring to Sinner and Alcaraz, who contested the Roland Garros final. Zverev’s respect for Becker remained intact—“I still have massive respect for him. I will always listen to what he has to say, but I don’t always have to agree”—but he dismissed additional criticism from German commentator Barbara Rittner as “wrong” and irrelevant.
The loss stung, especially after Zverev’s strong 2025 season, which included a final at the Australian Open (lost to Sinner) and a title in Munich against Ben Shelton. His 4-2 record against Djokovic since 2021, including a win at the 2024 Australian Open when Djokovic retired injured, had raised hopes. Yet, the French Open exposed familiar challenges. “He’s still beating the best of the best,” Zverev said of Djokovic, who reached his 51st Grand Slam semifinal. “I think at the moment he’s a bit underrated, to be honest.” Now, as Zverev shifts to grass at Stuttgart, facing either Fabio Fognini or Corentin Moutet, he’s focused on improvement. “Physically, it’s difficult to play here with no preparation time, but I’m happy to be back,” he said, eyeing Wimbledon as his next chance to break through.
The Stuttgart Open offers Zverev a fresh start, but the pressure to deliver a Grand Slam remains. With Alcaraz and Sinner dominating, and younger talents like Joao Fonseca emerging, Zverev’s window is narrowing. His defiance against Becker’s critique reflects a player confident in his path, yet aware of the need to evolve to conquer the sport’s biggest stages.
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