“He always wants to train,” Alexander Zverev’s father explains the astonishing work ethic of the German
After the Australian open, Alexander Zverev is competing at the Argentina Open where he has reached the quarterfinals.
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Alexander Zverev and his father (via X)
World No. 2 Alexander Zverev is coached by his father, Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev. Both of Zverev’s parents were professional tennis players for the Soviet Union. His father peaked with a world ranking as high as No. 175, while his mother, Irina Zvereva, was the fourth-highest-ranked women’s player in the Soviet Union.
The Soviet government often restricted their players from competing outside the country, an impediment that limited how high either of Zverev’s parents could ascend in the world rankings. With the collapse of the Soviet Union imminent, Irina went to Germany to compete at a tournament in 1990, with her husband accompanying as her coach. They later ended up settling in the country.
Sascha’s relationship with training from a young age meant that he didn’t want to leave the court. He would start crying because he wanted to keep playing. He always wants to train. Even today, when he is one of the best players in the world, he sometimes finishes a night training session around 11pm or midnight.
Alexander Zverev Sr. via Punto De Break
Alexander Zverev Sr. has been in charge of coaching his two sons, Alexander Zverev and Mikhail Zverev, guiding them in their careers as both a father and a coach. Mikhail, who retired in 2023, is a decade older than Alexander.
Looking back, Zverev Sr. is extremely proud of his sons’ journey, as revealed to Punto De Break. He believes that both played well, but what he remembers most fondly was seeing how much they loved tennis, the way they trained, and their desire to improve.
Alexander Zverev’s 2025 season so far
Alexander Zverev commenced his 2025 season with the Australian Open, reaching his third Grand Slam final. He had reached his first Grand Slam final in 2020, where he lost to Dominic Thiem, and in his second Grand Slam final at the 2024 French Open, he lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
And in his third Grand Slam final, he lost to defending champion Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Following his run at Melbourne, Zverev is now competing at the Argentina Open, an ATP 250 tournament underway in Buenos Aires from February 10 to 16, 2025. He will face Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinals of this tournament after defeating Dusan Lajovic in the round of 16.
Following the Argentina Open, Zverev is set to compete in the Rio Open, an ATP 500 tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Scheduled from February 17 to 23, 2025, this will be Zverev’s debut on Brazilian soil.
Later in the month, Zverev is expected to participate in the Mexican Open, which will take place in Acapulco, Mexico, from February 24 to March 1, 2025. He is the top seed in this ATP 500 tournament, with other participants including Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2645 Articles Published)