Richard Pagliaro | @tennis_now | Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Image source: Corleve/Mark Peterson
Alexander Zverev He did not suffer an identity crisis until his Rome champion defended.
World 2 Zverev says you are exactly what your ranking is said. Even though he struggled with the three-month suspension of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, it opened the door for the Germans and took a step upwards.
The Sinners beat Zverev directly in the Australian Open final in January. Zverev didn’t quite catch the moment as Sinner’s roster lasted for a three-month suspension.
Instead, the 2024 runner-up Roland Garros runner-up failed to reach the semi-finals in six of its last eight matches after the disappointing Melbourne final. Zverev said he had read criticism from the media and fans and found it interesting that some people called him “the worst world ever.”
“I do think the media likes to put down players, right?” Zverev told Roma Media. “My bad two months ago [winning] Munich, right? Before Munich, I didn’t play baseball. Suddenly, I was like the worst world in the world. I shouldn’t be there.
“Like I was there, because I won the game. I was there, because I had the results.
“The ranking system doesn’t lie. You get points to win games, you get points to win championships. Yes, I know I didn’t meet my standards. I know I didn’t participate in what I wanted to do. But neither did Carlos.
Still, Zverev was under pressure this month to defend Rome’s 1,000 rankings, with his conqueror Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Roland Garros final and 235 rankings in the Germans’ rankings alone.
“Do you think Novak is satisfied with his grades? Do you think Carlos is satisfied with his grades?” Zverev said. “I wasn’t happy with my results. Eventually, the big game was over and I still believe that the top players will rise.
“And I still believe I’ll find my tennis for the biggest game.”
The withdrawal of six-time Roman champion Novak Djokovic has resulted in two-time champion Zverev and 2023 champion Daniil Medvedev is the only former champion of Rome man Tanaka.
The second seed Zverev opened Rome’s defense for Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1tvemhrxbq
Although he failed to rise during his absence this season, Zverev believes he will eventually be at the highest point.
“The world number one? That would be good,” Zverev said. “I don’t know. I haven’t been there. I believe I will. So we’ll see how things are.”
