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An eventful tennis year for Alexander Zverev ended in the semi-finals at the ATP Finals. It was the reflection of a cinematic season after which it remains unfinished.
Alexander Zverev’s season is over. In short, she has 69:21 individual victories, two individual titles and team triumphs at the United Cup and Laver Cup. That’s the bare facts, but there’s a lot more to it.
For a long time, the year was marked by health problems, but above all by dreams that were within reach but somehow remained so far away. Because Zverev remains two (over)big problems and he has found his final opponent.
Fritz trauma this season
The 27-year-old lost his last game in 2024 against Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals in Turin – and that’s exactly how it had to happen. When Zverev and the also 27-year-old met for the first time this season on May 15th, Fritz’s score of 6:4, 6:3 was just a way station to his tournament victory in Rome. But then the hard-hitting American ruined so much for him this season.
At the Laver Cup, Fritz was unable to prevent Zverev’s success with Team Europe despite the victory, but he really hurt the German tennis star three more times – although the defeat in Turin was probably the least painful. At Wimbledon, Zverev was already leading 2-0 sets, but then Fritz hit back and Zverev was in the round of 16. At the US Open there was a reunion in the quarter-finals, in the close match Fritz again had the better end in the crucial moments.
Frequent player Zverev was close to the goal several times
At Wimbledon and at the US Open, Zverev reached for his first Grand Slam title in his career – and his final opponent Fritz stopped him. But in the other two of the year’s four biggest tournaments, he was even closer. At the Australian Open, Zverev’s 2-0 set lead in the semifinals against Daniil Medvedev was also not enough; at the French Open, he was already 2-1 ahead in the final against Carlos Alcaraz and still lost.
Zverev was so close to his dream of winning the Grand Slam this season – but not only that. He also wants to become number one in the world rankings, but has already made it to second place – also because he has played by far the most matches this year (90) despite health problems. But at the moment it is hardly conceivable that the man in front of him can be pushed from the top.
Sinner is currently the ultimate
Jannik Sinner once again showed in Turin that he is currently the measure of all things; the Italian won the ATP Finals without losing a set. The 23-year-old has won eight titles this season and only lost a total of six matches (win rate 92.3 percent) – Zverev is still a long way away from that with “only” 76.7 percent of games won.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner thanks the fans
Nevertheless, the season was a great success for the Hamburg native. Because she made it clear to him how it works – and how it doesn’t. Especially against Fritz, Zverev was punished (apart from the ATP Finals, when he made too many mistakes himself) when he played too defensively and dropped far behind the baseline. If he goes on the offensive, he is successful; his serve is perhaps currently the best on the entire tour. So things can still happen with big dreams.
Zverev: “What remains in memory are the hard defeats”
“I haven’t won a Grand Slam. It’s no secret that that will be my main goal for the next six or seven years. I will do everything to ensure that next year my level is even higher than this year.”said Zverev after his personal annual financial statements. “It will be a process. Hopefully, if I’m in this situation again in Australia, I can confirm the aggressive tennis in an important moment without making any mistakes.”
His conclusion of the year: “I played some fantastic matches. But I think what will be remembered are the tough defeats. I will do everything to be in the same moments and in the same position next year. I will do everything I can can to win.” The Australian Open starts on January 12, 2025 – and with it Alexander Zverev’s next attempt.
