Alexander Zverev closed the 2025 season standing as the closest rival or Alcaraz and Sinner.
However, the numbers behind that position explain why the German felt dissatisfied with his performance as world no. 3.
The German provided consistency and a couple of big results that made him the best player behind the dominant duo of men's tennis. However, he wrapped up the year with one ATP 500 title, which was not enough for a player of his caliber.
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What hurts even more is his third defeat in the Major finals, this time at the Australian Open to Jannik Sinner. After that, he fell to 38-year-old Djokovic at Roland Garros and experienced early failures in London and New York.
The most revealing statabout his ups and downs in 2025 came against elite opposition. Alexander closed the year with a 4-11 record against top-10 rivals, a return that underlined his difficulty in shifting momentum against the game's best.
Zverev bested Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-final, with the injured Serb retiring after dropping the opener in the tie break. After that, the Hamburg native defeated Ben Shelton two times and Lorenzo Musetti once.
We can notice the lack of big names on that list, as the gap became increasingly visible beyond those four encounters. Alexander was 0-5 against Sinner and Alcaraz this season, falling to the Italian four times.
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He had his moment of competitiveness in those encounters, but rarely the necessary control that would make him comfortable. While we can not question his year-end top-3 spot, the lack of signature wins limited the narrative.
After all, Alexander admitted he wished for a better season, acknowledging that the ranking position does not mean much alone. Per many, Djokovic did a better job with his four Major semi-finals and a Masters 1000 final, despite finishing behind the German.
For Zverev, the frustration stemmed from proximity. While following the leading duo on paper, he stayed far away from their level. As world no. 3, Alexander searches for more ahead of 2026, with the first chance to prove himself awaiting in sunny Melbourne.
