Alexander Zverev's 2025 season was a long way from initial expectations, especially after the improvements that the German ace had made in the latter part of last year. The world number 3 had started the new year with huge ambitions and thought he could finally clinch a Grand Slam title, having shown a different attitude in the last tournaments of 2024 and having lifted the trophy at the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000.
He had a run bordering on perfection at the 2025 Australian Open, reaching the final thanks to a series of convincing performances and being intent on giving his best against defending champion and Italian ace Jannik Sinner. However, Sascha was literally demolished by the former world number 1 in the last act and all his certainties crumbled. The champion from Hamburg struggled to play his best tennis in the rest of the season and ended his 2025 with only one title won, on the red clay of Munich. The former world number 2 disappointed expectations especially in the Major tournaments and was eliminated already in the round robin at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, as well as having suffered a back injury that affected him after the US Open.
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Alexander has also tried to ask for help from a top coach like Toni Nadal, but Rafa's uncle is not willing to return to travel around the world and has declined his offer.
Sascha complained too much
Due to the accumulated frustration, Zverev accused tournament organizers of deliberately making surfaces slower to favor the dominance of SpaniardCarlos Alcaraz and ItalianJannik Sinner.
Top analyst Jos Moron brutally denied the German's thesis: "What he said is absolutely not true. The data shows that only Indian Wells and Paris have reduced the speed of their courts, while tournaments such as Miami, Toronto, Cincinnati and the ATP Finals have increased the speed of the surface compared to previous years."
Sascha will have to work harder than ever during the off-season, as 2026 is set to be a pivotal year for his entire career (he will defend the final in Melbourne next month).
