Ahead of the Masters in Madrid, the German tennis icon talks about the Hamburg native’s bitter semi-final series
Boris Becker believes Germany’s tennis star Alexander Zverev is on the right track despite his recent setback in Munich.
“Overall, Sascha Zverev’s form is very consistent, up until the semi-finals he’s actually always absolutely world class,” Becker told SID at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid: “And then something happens.”
Becker: “No shame in losing to Sinner”
In the past four tournaments, the Tokyo Olympic champion has always failed in the final round. After three defeats against the Italian world number one Jannik Sinner at the Masters events in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, Zverev lost to his compatriot Flavio Cobolli in Munich on Saturday. “It’s no disgrace to lose to Sinner,” said Becker: “I was a bit surprised by Cobolli.”
The next Masters begins in Madrid on Wednesday. Although Sinner is also back in the Spanish capital, several big names are missing from the field with Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic injured. Becker said he was “convinced” that Zverev “will come to Madrid and find his form again”. Should the Hamburg native be in the final round again, the 58-year-old “hopes” that Zverev “will win the match this time”.
Zverev did not want to guarantee whether the German number one would also be competing in Rome and at the Rothenbaum in Hamburg in the run-up to the French Open (from May 18). “Hopefully,” said Becker with a view to the busy schedule, “he won’t overdo it.”