Alexander Zverev's eighth ATP Finals campaign came to an abrupt end in the round-robin stage following a 6-4, 7-6 loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime in two hours and seven minutes.
Thus, world no. 3 hit the exit door after two losses, with Jannik Sinner also besting him in straight sets. Former pro Julien Varlet offered a blunt assessment of what went wrong with the two-time champion of the year-ending event.
For the Frenchman, the encounter against Auger-Aliassime stands as a mirror reflecting a deeper issue. In his opinion, and the results confirm that, Zverev's game is not evolving a the pace of the current and past greats.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner continue to expand their arsenals, working hard even on minor improvements that would make their game even more lethal and dangerous.
The legends like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer spent their careers reinventing themselves and evolving. Varlet believes Zverev has remained anchored to the same formula since he made a breakthrough eight years ago.
The German still leans heavily on his serve and counter-punching instincts, tools that make him less dangerous and more predictable, especially against the rivals from the top who break his patterns and turn them into a limitation.
Varlet pointed to several moments in the decisive match against Auger-Aliassime. As many times, Alexander's lack of development and attacking skills became costly.
A couple of times, Zverev reachedthe net with fine attacks, only to miss a chance to finish the point with a volley and gain confidence. His hesitation and discomfort in routine situations allowed opportunities to slip away and left him empty-handed.
For a top-3 player, those small lapses carry big consequences, especially at the event with razor thin margins. Per Varlet, the top stars are adding layers to their game while Alexander stands still.
Without embracing much-needed evolution, breaking through the highest ceiling may remain just out of reach for a player who turns 29 in April.
"This match highlights everything Alexander has not worked on compared to other players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer.
In fact, Alexander relies solely on his strengths: his serve and his defensive game. This match is revealing; he is too passive, and you also can not afford to miss certain volleys if you are world no. 3.
Even when he comes to the net in good positions and all he has to do is push the ball, it's clear he is not comfortable," Julien Varlet said.
