Alexander Zverev certainly has more pressure than anyone else in this edition of the Paris Masters 1000, because he has to try to defend the title won in the French capital last year when he was the protagonist of a run bordering on perfection. The German ace was in perfect shape twelve months ago and had gained a lot of confidence, but this season has given him few joys and he has also had to face some physical problems such as his back.
The world No.3 reached the final at the Vienna ATP 500 last week and only succumbed to four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner, after putting in one of the best performances of his 2025 season. Sascha was ahead by a set and fought hard until the end, but the greater lucidity of the Italian champion made the difference in the decisive moments of the clash and allowed Jannik to win his fourth title in 2025.
The star from Hamburg was visibly disappointed during the awards ceremony, but he can be proud of his level and everyone's hope is that Alexander will continue to play like this in Paris and at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
ADVERTISEMENT
Zverev criticizes the new venue
The realproblem for the former world number 2 is that the last Masters 1000 of the season has changed venues starting this year and the surface is decidedly slower than in 2024 (when he lifted the trophy).
In his press conference before facing Ugo Carabelli on his debut, Zverev expressed all his frustration: "From my point of view, the Bercy venue was better in some respects. There is a lot of noise in this new venue coming from the other courts and the loudspeakers disturb more than expected. There is never silence, you can constantly hear the buzz of people moving around you."
Sascha feels better than he did a few weeks ago: "Reaching the final in Vienna was a huge step forward, as I hadn't played at a high level for a long time. I hope to finish this season well and be ready for 2026."
