Zverev's next attempt: Will it work at Wimbledon?

"I'm happy with my level," says Alexander Zverev a few days before the start of Wimbledon. But that doesn't mean that Germany's best tennis player will perform well at the world's most important tournament and be able to compete for the title.

Because almost exactly two years ago, the now 28-year-old also believed he was on the right track, felt ready for the grass courts of Wimbledon, and chose almost exactly the same words just days before the start of England's biggest tennis tournament. "I'm currently very satisfied with my tennis level," Zverev said in 2023.

What followed, however, was not triumph, but rather disillusionment. The Hamburg native was eliminated in the third round. The Italian Matteo Berrettini, who was ranked lower at the time, proved too strong. Zverev's hoped-for first Grand Slam victory never materialized. To this day, the German is still waiting for a triumph at one of the four biggest tournaments on the tour.

Disappointed: Alexander Zverev (r.) congratulates the victorious Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon 2023.

Source: IMAGO/Colorsport

Will this long-awaited success finally come at Wimbledon, of all places? Zverev has never made it past the round of 16? At none of the four major tournaments does the German have such a poor record as in England.

Zverev, at least, seems confident. "Don't worry, I'll win Wimbledon," he jokingly replied to a fan at a recent warm-up tournament in Stuttgart, who shouted words of encouragement from the stands after his final loss to arch-rival Taylor Fritz. When asked about this statement later in the press conference, the 28-year-old replied, "Why not?"

The world number three is not lacking in self-confidence. He never has been. And yet he remains the uncrowned star, having reached six semifinals and three finals at Grand Slam tournaments. Most recently, in January, the Australian Open final against world number one Jannik Sinner.

Sinner was "too good," Zverev honestly admitted after the loss. In other defeats later in the year, the 2021 Olympic champion often hid behind dubious excuses. He attributed his quarterfinal exit to Novak Djokovic at the French Open, among other things, to the cold outside temperatures. "It's not easy for me to find a way to play against Novak Djokovic in such cold conditions and exert a lot of pressure. We had 20 degrees in the first set, then maybe 15."

Zverev claimed that his loss to Lorenzo Musetti in the Rome quarterfinals was due to balls that were "too big." "They're much slower this year," he said. And then there was the dispute with tennis icon Boris Becker, with whom he has actually had a good relationship for years.

Constantly engaging in constructive exchanges: Boris Becker (left) and Alexander Zverev. However, sometimes critical discussions also arise.

Source: IMAGO/Paul Zimmer

After Zverev's exit from the French Open, Becker demanded that the Hamburg native part ways with his father as coach to set a new tone. Zverev countered: "When things are going well for me, I always do everything right. And when things are going badly, everyone is very, very clever. Unfortunately, Boris is one of them."

Becker has long since relented, saying that Zverev, as the world number three, is doing almost everything right. The three-time Wimbledon champion still believes Zverev can achieve the big win. "I'm convinced he can become the world number one. I'm convinced he can win a Grand Slam," Becker recently emphasized in his podcast with former tennis player Andreas Petkovic.

The form curve of Germany's current best tennis player is at least showing a slight upward trend after his early exit from the French Open in early June. He first played in the final in Stuttgart, then narrowly lost to world number nine Daniil Medvedev in the round of the best four in Halle, Westphalia.

But will that be enough for a top ranking at Wimbledon? One thing is clear: Even if he doesn't triumph again, reaching the semifinals would be a success for Zverev at the tournament he's never felt comfortable with.