Alexander Zverev believes his more attacking style of play can help him challenge Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz after finishing runner-up at Wimbledon.
The German will climb to world No. 2 in the ATP rankings on Monday despite losing to Sinner 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 in Sunday’s Wimbledon final.
Zverev matched the world No. 1 for long periods and became the first player in 15 sets to take a set off Sinner. Although he eventually suffered his 10th straight defeat to the Italian, this was his closest contest yet.
The turning point came midway through the third set when Zverev slipped while chasing a drop shot at 3-3. He was on his only break point of the match at the time, and although he continued, the fall affected his movement and allowed Sinner to seize control.
Zverev came into Wimbledon with renewed confidence after winning his first Grand Slam title at the French Open last month. While some questioned the achievement because Sinner lost early in Paris and Carlos Alcaraz missed the tournament through injury, the German carried that confidence onto the grass and produced his best run at Wimbledon.
He said his improved results are down to a more aggressive approach, especially on the forehand.
“I’ve said it at the beginning of the year, and I’ve stuck to it. That’s the tennis I want to play. That’s the game style I want to play,” Zverev told reporters.
“There were matches in the beginning of the year where I was struggling a bit more with this style, but I was consistently doing it. The more I do it, the better I’ll become.
“I won a Grand Slam for the first time in my career in Paris. I made it to the finals here for the first time in my career. Of course, something has to be working.”
Zverev served exceptionally well for most of the final, landing around 80 percent of his first serves. He also used his forehand aggressively to trouble Sinner throughout the match.
“When I have the opportunity, I hit it. Whether I make it or miss it, that depends on the day. But I definitely go for it,” he said.
“That’s my goal, that’s my aim for this year, that’s my aim for hopefully the rest of my career.”
Sinner and Alcaraz have shared the recent Grand Slam titles, but Zverev believes he is getting closer to matching their level.
“I think I’ve been pushing those guys. I haven’t beaten them this year, but I’ve pushed them to the limits, I would say,” Zverev said.
“Alcaraz in Australia, Jannik maybe here. Even though it was four sets, I think it was a very close four sets, which could have gone five as well.
“There was always this conversation who will be the third guy, the search for the third guy. Kind of the last couple years, I’ve always been the third guy, but I was just far away from those two. If I get closer to them, if I can be in the mix, competing and winning the big tournaments, it would be great.”
Zverev also revealed that his fall in the third set affected his serve.
“I over-extended my knee again, similar to two years ago. I was struggling to push off on the serve a little bit. So my serve speed went down,” he said.
“But everything else went fine.
“I think the fall didn’t help me in the third set. My level dropped a little bit. But then I picked it up in the fourth again. Overall I thought it was quite high level throughout.”
