Alexander Zverev

[arti]

[Lleyton]

Zverev Looks To Build On New Mental Approach In Melbourne

Spoiler:

German keen to focus on enjoying his tennis

When Alexander Zverev arrived at the Nitto ATP Finals in London last November, the German made a conscious effort to place greater emphasis on enjoying his tennis after struggling with his level in previous weeks.

That shift in mentality proved successful, with the 21-year-old defeating World No. 1 Novak Djokovic to become the youngest player to triumph at the season finale since the Serbian in 2008. Now, two months after his greatest triumph, Zverev returns to tour-level action with motivation to maintain that attitude as he continues his search for his first Grand Slam title.

"I came to London [last November] and I wasn't playing my best," said Zverev. "I lost to Khachanov 6-1, 6-2 [in Paris, and] I lost to other guys. I really wasn't playing well. I came to London saying, 'Look, it's the last tournament of the year... I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I'm playing the best players in the world. I'm going to see how it goes.'

"At the end of the week, I won the tournament. I learned out of that. I figured out I have to have the same mentality when I play at Grand Slams. I hope I can achieve that."

Despite big ambitions, the World No. 4 is keen to keep expectations low and trust his new approach ahead of his opening match against Aljaz Bedene on Tuesday. Zverev is yet to advance beyond the third round in three main draw appearances at Melbourne Park, falling in five sets to Rafael Nadal (2017) and Hyeon Chung (2018) in the Round of 32 on his past two visits.

"I don't put any [expectations] on myself, actually. I've never been past the third round, so we'll see how it goes," said Zverev. "I just want to enjoy being here. I just want to enjoy playing as much as I can. I just want to enjoy playing in the biggest stadiums, playing in the biggest matches.

"Once I learn how to really enjoy it and really find fun in what I do, I think everything else will take care of itself."

Zverev also took some time to address former World No. 1 Andy Murray's Friday announcement that he will retire during the 2019 season.

"Obviously he's one of the best guys on Tour outside the court," said Zverev. "He's always super nice to be around, super nice to be in the locker room with... He's actually one of the funniest and coolest dudes out there.

"The amount of support he got as well, you can see how much we really appreciate what he's done. So I hope he can really enjoy the last few months and just have a happy retirement."

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/zverev- ... 19-preview

[arti]

[arti]

Signs Point Towards A Zverev Slam Breakthrough

Spoiler:

Alexander Zverev finished 2018 in the best form possible, defeating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal en route to his first Nitto ATP Finals title, the biggest victory of his career. The German had claimed three ATP Masters 1000 titles, and climbed as high as No. 3 in the ATP Rankings. But this was a special performance that no one will soon forget.
Zverev will now hope that such a tremendous victory will serve as a springboard to major success. According to the FedEx ATP Performance Zone, Zverev was one of the best performers on the ATP Tour at the Grand Slams in 2018, but he still has room to grow. Last year, Zverev was tied for 11th on the ATP Tour with a 10-4 record at the majors, equating to a 71.4 winning percentage.
At 2018 Roland Garros, the German became the eighth player in the Open Era to battle through three consecutive five-setters in Paris, and the first to do so since Tommy Robredo in 2013. He lost to eventual finalist Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals. But after his win at The O2, he is ready to take another step forward.
“I don't think I struggled during the Slams. I think there's been a few unlucky moments for me… I've done really well at the French, then I got injured. I don't know how far I could have gone,” Zverev said after triumphing in London. “The other Grand Slams, I played against a very good [Hyeon] Chung in the Australian Open, which I lost a five-set match. Wimbledon I was not prepared to play because of the injury that happened in the French. US Open I had a bad match. These things happen. It's fine.”
Another reason for optimism is that of Zverev’s 14 career Grand Slam losses, he has fallen after winning two of the first three sets just three times, with those defeats coming at the hands of Rafael Nadal, Milos Raonic and Chung. Nadal and Raonic would go on to reach the final of the 2017 Australian Open and 2017 Wimbledon, respectively, while Chung broke through to last year’s semi-finals in Melbourne.
So it’s not as if Zverev has consistently lost advantages because of the extended best-of-five-set format at Grand Slams. And when the German has let slip leads, it has been against players who have advanced deep into the event.
To further his efforts to get over the proverbial ‘hump’, Zverev hired former World No. 1 Ivan Lendl ahead of the US Open. Lendl knows what Zverev is going through, as he reached four Slam finals before finally winning his first of eight major trophies at Roland Garros in 1984. So while their partnership didn’t yield immediate results in Flushing Meadows — Zverev lost in the third round to veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber — the German believes it might help him take the next step.
“He said that it's a process of getting there. It's a process of playing well at Slams,” Zverev said. “He told me before the tournament started that, Hopefully you'll do very well at the US Open, but we're more looking towards next year.”
One legend who is not concerned about Zverev’s results at past Slams is former World No. 1 Boris Becker, who first met the 21-year-old when Zverev was just 10.
“He played the past two years, apart from the Grand Slams [at a high level]. You wait as a young player to take the next step at the biggest of tournaments and at the Grand Slams, unfortunately, he hasn’t made a semi-final yet. But I think the way he performed throughout the whole week against the very best in tennis, looked to be very promising for 2019,” Becker told ATPTour.com after Zverev’s run at the Nitto ATP Finals. “It starts with yourself. If you gain a bit of confidence, if you start beating the best tennis players in the world day after day, you deep down start to believe that you really belong there. That’s why I think it was a big breakthrough.”
The Grand Slam Leaders
It’s no surprise that Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Nos. 1-3 in the ATP Rankings, had the best results at the majors in 2018. Djokovic, who triumphed at Wimbledon and the US Open, earned a 21-2 record, while Roland Garros champion Nadal was 21-3, and Australian Open winner Federer was 14-2 (Federer did not compete at Roland Garros).
Those three players will be the Top 3 seeds in Melbourne, just like they were as far back as 11 years ago, when Djokovic claimed his first Grand Slam title.
The trio’s success at the Slams also extends well beyond 2018, as Nadal (87.3%), Federer (86.3%) and Djokovic (86.3%) are all inside the Top 4 in career winning percentage at the majors during the Open Era, trailing only Bjorn Borg (89.8%).

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/fedex-z ... -open-2019

[Lucas]

Zverev Won More Games Than Djokovic, Federer and Nadal In 2018

Spoiler:

The 1,000 game club had only one member in 2018 – Alexander Zverev. The 21-year-old German had the best season of his emerging career last year, collecting four titles (including the Nitto ATP Finals), a 58-19 record and north of $7.7 million in prize money.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of games won both serving and returning in the 2018 season identifies that Zverev just clipped the 1,000-games won milestone, reaching 1,006.

2018 Season: Leading 10 Players Total Games Won

#

Player

Serving Games Won

Return Games Won

Total

1

Alexander Zverev

754

252

1006

2

Kevin Anderson

847

149

996

T3

Dominic Thiem

753

217

970

T3

Novak Djokovic

724

246

970

5

Stefanos Tsitsipas

783

177

960

6

Karen Khachanov

724

193

917

7

Marin Cilic

709

183

892

8

John Isner

805

80

885

T9

Roger Federer

686

178

864

T9

Juan Martin del Potro

672

192

864

Zverev won four titles in 2018 (Nitto ATP Finals, Washington, ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid and Munich), winning a total of 58 matches, which just edged his 2017 win total of 55.

Kevin Anderson finished second in total games won in 2018, just 10 behind Zverev, at 996, and won the most games on serve for the year.

2018 Season: Top 3 Service Games Won
Kevin Anderson = 847
John Isner = 805
Stefanos Tsitsipas = 783

Zverev won the most return games in 2018 with 252. He finished eighth overall in 2018 on the ATP Stats Return LEADERBOARD, powered by Infosys Nia Data, with a 154.3 rating, and was 16th best on tour last year on the ATP Stats Return LEADERBOARD, powered by Infosys Nia Data, with a 278.5 rating.

2018 Season: Top 3 Return Games Won
Alexander Zverev = 252
Novak Djokovic = 246
Fabio Fognini = 236

When you boil our sport down to its simplest level, it’s all about holding serve and breaking serve. At 6’6”, Zverev provides such a tough matchup for opponents because players at that height typically show a lot more prowess serving than returning.

Zverev actually has better metrics on the return side of the equation, making him the total package and a dominant force in our sport for years to come.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/infosys ... s-won-2018

[grzes430]

THE YOUNG PRETENDERS...

At 21 years 282 days, No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev is looking to become the youngest Australian Open men’s singles champion since Djokovic won the title here in 2008 aged 20 years 250 days. He would also become the youngest Grand Slam champion since Del Potro won the title at the 2009 US Open aged 20 years 355 days.

[arti]

Zverev Off To Clean Start In Melbourne

Spoiler:

Let the chatter begin in earnest: Is this where Alexander Zverev reaches his first Grand Slam semi-final?

The 21-year-old German bypassed any first-round drama at the Australian Open on Tuesday, sweeping Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. Zverev faced trouble in the opener when he was broken in the seventh game. But the fourth seed broke twice to end the first set and surrendered only one break the remainder of the match.

"I was a little bit sloppy in the beginning, a little bit sleepy maybe, and the break really was a wakeup call... There really is a lot of good unseeded players here, and [Bedene] is one of them," said Zverev. "I was happy with how I could turn things around very quickly and, after that, the match went well."



You May Also Like: Signs Point Towards A Zverev Slam Breakthrough


Expectations were high for Zverev last year, but they'll likely be even higher in 2019, especially because of how he finished last season. Zverev beat Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in back-to-back matches to win the Nitto ATP Finals, the biggest title of his career. He will next meet a Frenchman, either Jeremy Chardy or Ugo Humbert.

"It was a great moment [to win the Nitto ATP Finals] and it really helped, because it's one of the biggest tournaments that we have in the world," said Zverev. "To win it gives you a lot of great confidence to beat those players, because they have a lot of great confidence, as well. I hope I can continue doing the things I have been doing for a while."

Aussie wild card Alex Bolt hit 56 winners, including 22 aces, and eliminated American Jack Sock 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. The 26-year-old will next play French veteran Gilles Simon, who beat Bjorn Fratangelo of the U.S. 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-2.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/zverev- ... 19-tuesday

[arti]

[arti]

[arti]

[arti]

[arti]

Zverev Digs Deep For Chardy Win; Bolt Saves Four M.P.

Spoiler:

If Alexander Zverev is to make the breakthrough on the major stage this month, Thursday’s victory against Jeremy Chardy at the Australian Open will live long in the memory. It wasn’t pretty, but the fourth seed found a way to win for a place in the third round for the third consecutive year.
Zverev, who lifted the biggest title of his career two months ago at the Nitto ATP Finals, weathered several momentum shifts in an entertaining 7-6(5), 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(6), 6-1 victory over Chardy in three hours and 46 minutes at Melbourne Park. It was his third straight win in four meetings against 2013 quarter-finalist Chardy.
"I thought the match was very high quality," said Zverev. "Jeremy started playing really, really well in the third and fourth [sets].
"I knew if I stayed strong, if I kept doing what I was doing, [that I would] get my chances. I actually had my chances in all sets. didn't manage to break. Matches can turn around quickly. I'm just happy to be in the third round."
The 21-year-old German, also with 10 ATP Tour titles to his name, will next play Australian wild card Alex Bolt, currently No. 155 in the ATP Rankings, who continued his fairy-tale run by saving four match points against No. 22 seed Gilles Simon of France.
"[Bolt's] journey is quite amazing. He's playing really good tennis right now," said Zverev. "Obviously, being in the third round [and] beating Gilles Simon, which is never easy.
"I'm happy for him. But in two days' time, I'll be playing him. I'll do everything I can to prevent him going further."
Zverev took a 4-1 lead in the first set, but suffered a concentration lapse in the seventh game. While Chardy saved a set point at 5-6, 30/40, Zverev broke clear at 3/3 in the tie-break to clinch the opener.
Zverev endured few problems in the second set, which saw him break for 3-2 and he saved one break point at 5-4, 30/40. Having dropped to a 2-4 deficit in the third set, Zverev worked his way back, but could not convert four break points at 5-5. Chardy seized his chance to break in the next game, aided by two mis-timed forehands from Zverev.
Chardy dug deep in the fourth set, recovering from 15/40 and saving four break points at 3-3. The pressure shifted to Zverev and closing in on a second tie-break of the match, the German dropped to 15/40 at 5-6. Three set points came and went – courtesy of two backhand errors from Chardy and a forehand winner from Zverev. Two straight backhand errors from Chardy gifted Zverev a match point at 6/5 in the tie-break, but the opportunity wasn’t converted and three straight groundstroke errors cost Zverev.
Zverev's superior conditioning reaped dividends in the deciding set to win the first five games. It dashed Chardy's hopes of a second career comeback from two-sets-to-love down and a first victory over a Top 5 player at a Grand Slam championship. The match ended at 12:15 a.m. local time.
He'll now recover and prepare to meet Bolt, who recorded back-to-back tour-level match wins for the first time in his career after hitting 77 winners past Simon 2-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 in four hours and four minutes. Simon, who reached the 2009 Australian Open quarter-finals, could not convert match points in the fourth set tie-break at 6/4, 7/6 and 8/7.
When asked about his comeback, Bolt said, "I think it was a lot to do with just backing myself, I guess trying to play to my strengths. Obviously, the crowd support was amazing. I feel like they really gave me the energy to get over the line."

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/zverev- ... 9-thursday

[DUN I LOVE]

Jest 4. runda - jedynym szlemem, gdzie Sasza nie zagrał jeszcze w LAST16 pozostaje US Open.

[Damian]

Zverev Books Raonic Clash In Melbourne

Spoiler:

Fourth seed to meet Raonic for quarter-final spot
In his third straight Australian Open third round appearance, Alexander Zverev advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time on Saturday.
Zverev, the reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion, who fell in five sets to Rafael Nadal (2017) and Hyeon Chung (2018) at the same stage in Melbourne over the past two years, needed one hour and 52 minutes to beat Alex Bolt 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. Zverev hit 29 winners, including 14 aces, to overcome Bolt, who was appearing in the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
"There's always things to improve," said Zverev. "But I think I played a good match today... Heading into the second week, I feel pretty good."
Zverev started well, earning three service breaks to move into a one-set lead after 34 minutes. In a tighter second set, the World No. 4 took advantage of multiple forehand errors from his opponent to gain the only break of the set and take control of the match.
In the third set, Zverev won five straight games from 0-1 to edge closer to victory, which he earned on his first match point as Bolt failed to return a 193km/h body serve.
"[It was] unbelievable to play a match on Rod Laver Arena. Growing up as a kid, it's always something I dreamed of doing," said Bolt. "To do it out there, not just on Rod Laver Arena, but with Rod Laver in the crowd, that was pretty special."
Tennis Radio
Zverev will meet Milos Raonic for a place in the quarter-finals. The 21-year-old is tied at 1-1 with Raonic in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.
"We played twice. Once on clay and once on grass, which were two very different matches, obviously," said Zverev. "He's playing very well. Only lost a set to Stan [Wawrinka] in the tournament so far.
"It's going to be a fun match. Obviously not a lot of rallies, not a lot of long points. We'll see how it goes."
The Canadian No. 1 reached the Australian Open fourth round for the sixth time after just more than two hours, landing 51 winners to beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(6). The 16th seed has impressed in his opening three rounds, beating Nick Kyrgios, Stan Wawrinka and Herbert to reach the fourth round.
"I think there are positive things in [my route so far]. I have been pushed," said Raonic. "I have been having stressful moments in matches that I've handled quite well. I think that gives me some ease going into the challenges further along... You don't really know how you're going to pull out when you have those guys [in your draw] in the first few rounds. But I'm happy with the way I did.
"I haven't had the chance to play that many matches over a long period of time now, so to have that kind of test, to prove well in it, I think it's pretty good."
In 2016, Raonic came within a set of reaching the championship match in Melbourne. The Canadian led Andy Murray by two sets to one before eventually falling to a five-set defeat after four hours and three minutes.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/zverev- ... -open-2019

[Damian]

Sasza po raz 3 melduje się w 4 rundzie WS i po raz pierwszy w Melbourne! #AO19

[4] Alexander Zverev (GER) d. [WC] Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-3 6-3 6-2 Statystyki meczu

[arti]

[arti]

[arti]

[Lleyton]

Alexander Zverev znów zawiódł w Wielkim Szlemie. "Mam nadzieję, że następnym razem będę lepszy"

Spoiler:

Mam nadzieję, że następnym razem będę lepszy - powiedział Alexander Zverev po odpadnięciu z Australian Open 2019 w IV rundzie. Niemiec kolejny występ w turnieju wielkoszlemowym zakończył rozczarowaniem i porażką na wczesnym etapie.
Marcin Motyka
Marcin Motyka
21 Stycznia 2019, 18:33
REKLAMA
Getty Images / Scott Barbour / Na zdjęciu: Alexander Zverev
REKLAMA

Australian Open: Raonić odprawił słabego Zvereva. Kanadyjczyk wystąpi w ćwierćfinale

Alexander Zverev odpadł w IV rundzie Australian Open 2019, przegrywając 1:6, 1:6, 6:7(5) z Milosem Raoniciem. - Przez cały mecz grałem źle, a przez dwa pierwsze sety - okropnie. Źle serwowałem i źle grałem z linii końcowej. Oczywiście, próbowałem wrócić na właściwe tory i w trzeciej partii prezentowałem się lepiej, ale było już za późno - mówił na konferencji prasowej.

Niemiec miniony sezon zakończył triumfem w Finałach ATP World Tour i przed startem nowych rozgrywek miał krótką przerwę. - Nie miałem długiego odpoczynku w okresie międzysezonami. Ale musiałem popracować nad stroną fizyczną. Nasz sezon trwa 11 miesięcy i to jedyny czas, kiedy możesz to zrobić - wyjaśniał.

Dla tenisisty z Hamburga to kolejny rozczarowujący występ w turnieju wielkoszlemowym. Choć od trzech sezonów należy do ścisłej czołówki męskich rozgrywek, to w Wielkim Szlemie uzyskał jak dotychczas tylko jeden ćwierćfinał - w zeszłorocznym Rolandzie Garrosie.

- Przez cały turniej zmagałem się ze swoim serwisem. Nie miałem właściwego rytmu. Próbowałem znaleźć rozwiązanie i popracować nad tym. Mam nadzieję, że następnym razem będę lepszy - ocenił przyczyny kolejnego niepowodzenia.

- Nie jestem szczęśliwy, ale też nie czuję się przygnębiony. Nauczyłem się odbierać mecz tenisowy jako mecz tenisowy, nie jak koniec świata. Gdybym za każdym razem, gdy przegrywam, odbierał to jako koniec świata, byłbym w depresji około 15-20 razy w roku, dlatego nie zamierzam tak robić - dodał Zverev, który - mimo odpadnięcia w 1/8 finału - po zakończeniu Australian Open wyprzedzi w rankingu Rogera Federera i awansuje z czwartego na trzecie miejsce.

https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/tenis/80063 ... nym-razem-

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