For years Alexander Zverev has been one of the great “what ifs” of men’s tennis. What if he was mentally tougher? What if he changed his coaching team? What if he could finally produce his best tennis when it mattered most? After winning his second Grand Slam title at the US Open, perhaps it’s time we stopped asking questions and accepted that Zverev has finally arrived.
Just three months ago the German claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, finally breaking through after years of near misses. And while the draw opened up for him, the pressure certainly didn’t disappear with it. Quite the opposite.
Carlos Alcaraz was absent with a wrist injury and when Jannik Sinner suffered a shock second-round defeat, Zverev suddenly found himself as the highest seed remaining. Every round he was expected to win and, for a player whose ability to cope with pressure at the Slams had been questioned for years, all eyes were on the hunter who had now become the hunted. But Zverev handled the pressure beautifully, finally removing the enormous monkey from his back.
Next up was Wimbledon, where he achieved his best result at the event, reaching another final before losing to Sinner. Then came the US Open. Could he sustain this level of mental strength? Sinner was absent through injury while Alcaraz arrived in New York having not played a singles match for more than four months due to his wrist injury. For the first time in his career, Zverev entered a Grand Slam as the No 1 seed. This was different.
At Roland Garros the pressure increased as the tournament unfolded and the draw opened up. In New York it was there before he hit his first ball. Zverev was now a Grand Slam champion and, despite seven-time Slam winner Alcaraz being in the draw, there was a genuine expectation that the German could and perhaps should win the tournament. He did exactly that, defeating Ben Shelton in four sets in the final to claim his second Slam in three months.
Of course, there will be doubters. They will point out that Sinner wasn’t there and Alcaraz was returning from a long injury layoff. They’ll say Zverev has been the beneficiary of weakened fields at both of the Slams he has won. Factually, there is some truth in that. But it would also be an unfair way to view two remarkable achievements.
A competitor can only defeat the challengers standing in front of them. Zverev didn’t injure Alcaraz’s wrist or Sinner’s knee. His job was to turn up and win seven matches and he has now done that at two of the past three Slams, while reaching the final of the other one. That is not luck. That’s a player who has raised his level.
For years Zverev has been criticised from all angles, from his missed opportunities in big matches to his decision to keep his family at the core of his coaching team. Long ago he was handed the unenviable title by many pundits of being the greatest player never to win a Grand Slam. In 2026 he has hit back in the best way possible - by letting his racket do the talking.
The conversation has now completely changed. Instead of wondering whether Zverev has the mental toughness to win a Slam, or whether he ever will, we’re beginning to ask a very different question: is the Big Two of Sinner and Alcaraz becoming a Big Three?
Perhaps the strangest indication of how much Zverev has changed came after championship point in New York... when he didn’t even realise he’d won! After Shelton’s return sailed long, Zverev calmly moved back behind the baseline ready for another point, taking several seconds to realise that the tournament was over. Someone who once seemed burdened by the enormity of these moments was now so relaxed and focussed on the task at hand that he lost track of the score.
Zverev himself knows he still has something to prove. Winning against fully fit versions of Sinner and Alcaraz would strengthen his claim to being the best player in the world, and I admire that he doesn’t shy away from that reality. But he has given himself an opportunity to prove it sooner than we might have expected. Zverev now leads the race for the year-end No 1 ranking, another milestone that once seemed beyond him.
Having finally broken the shackles, I get the feeling this is just the beginning. Not bad for a kid diagnosed with diabetes at the age of four, whose family was warned that life, and particularly in sport, would be very difficult for little Alex.
Coach’s Tip: Forget the last point
One thing Zverev’s transformation demonstrates is the importance of staying in the present.
Players often lose matches because they’re still thinking about the last point. Miss an easy forehand and they spend the next two points berating themselves for it. Lose a long rally and they’re still replaying it in their head while preparing to return serve.
Once a point is over, you can’t change it, so develop a simple routine that resets your mind. Turn away from the court, adjust your strings, take a breath and then decide what you’re going to do on the next point.
The best competitors aren’t emotionless. They get frustrated just like everyone else. They’re simply better at moving on. Just don’t become quite as focussed as Zverev - you still need to know when you’ve won the match! See you on the court!
Dan Barrie is the tennis director at Bahrain Tennis Academy and is a Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA) elite professional. Connect with him via Instagram on @bahrain_tennis_academy.
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