At the Laver Cup in Berlin, Stefanos Tsitsipas analyzed what he lacks to become a Grand Slam winner when asked by SPORT1 – what he says will also sound familiar to Alexander Zverev.
What do Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have that Alexander Zverev and other players don’t have? The two outstanding players of the young tennis generation have fought it out for the Grand Slam titles this year, while Zverev’s dream of his first major title was shattered once again – most recently dramatically at the US Open despite seemingly good conditions.
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The discussion about what the 21-year-old Alcaraz and Sinner, who is two years older, have over the other players has been going on in the scene for some time. On the sidelines of the Laver Cup in Berlin, SPORTS1-Inquiry, another player from Zverev’s generation has now joined in, who has so far been chasing the Grand Slam triumph in vain: Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas: “You must not become too passive”
Von SPORTS1 When asked about the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner, the Greek said: “These two have some of the hardest shots and are among the most aggressive players on the tour at the moment. The 26-year-old added: “It shows you that you really have to give everything and not become too passive in order to win Grand Slams.”
The outstanding year of Alcaraz and Sinner – who came into discussion this year due to his controversial doping acquittal – to “see what it takes to find ourselves in the same position again,” revealed the world number twelve.
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In recent years, both Tsitsipas and Zverev have often had to listen to criticism from former tennis greats for not having yet converted their potential into a major triumph despite reaching several finals.
Warning reminds of Federer’s Zverev criticism
Tsitsipas’ new comments are primarily self-criticism, but also a general warning. Zverev will probably find Tsitsipas’ line of argument familiar: He himself is regularly criticized for his passive style of play in crucial moments.
Recently, even tennis legend Roger Federer got involved in the debate and, when asked at a press conference held by sporting goods manufacturer Wilson, remarked that he saw in Zverev a player “who plays far too passively and far too defensively when it matters most.”
The 43-year-old continued his analysis: “I think that against the best players in the hot phase of a tournament, your opponent will always feel so comfortable on the offensive that you will have to take the initiative yourself.”
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Laver Cup: Zverev and Alcaraz lose doubles
Tsitsipas now basically struck the same note as the 20-time major winner: “At every opportunity that comes your way, attacking and aggressive tennis is the solution to win those big titles that you need to make the most of your career.”
However, the next Grand Slam title will not be awarded until the beginning of next year at the Australian Open. Until then, it is important to continue to build confidence at the tournaments in the coming months.
There is currently an opportunity to do so in Berlin at the Laver Cup, co-founded by Federer, in which both Tsitsipas and Zverev are competing for “Team Europe” – with different records so far. The Greek secured the first point for him on Friday afternoon after a convincing performance. Zverev and Alcaraz then lost the doubles match against the US duo Ben Shelton Taylor Fritz – Zverev’s conqueror at the US Open.
