Alexander Zverev Urges Respect for ‘Underrated’ Novak Djokovic After Their Roland Garros Quarterfinal

Alexander Zverev's search for his first Grand Slam title continues after losing to Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals of the Roland Garros.

Alexander Zverev Urges Respect for ‘Underrated’ Novak Djokovic After Their Roland Garros Quarterfinal

Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev (via X/The Tennis Letter)

2024 runners-up Alexander Zverev was blown away by Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals of the French Open. The German was deemed the favorite ahead of the clash, but the 38-year-old raised his game to a higher level than expected. Zverev revealed after the loss that Djokovic is the most underrated player in the men’s circuit.

Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam winner, and less than two weeks ago, he won his 100th tour-level career title in Geneva. But as the sixth seed at the Roland Garros, he did not arrive in Paris as the leading favorite. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and even Zverev were placed ahead of him before the tournament kicked off.

But on Wednesday (June 4), Djokovic made a statement victory against Zverev. After losing the first set in their match, Djokovic responded with a more varied approach to his game. He countered Zverev’s heavy hitting with his own exquisite spin throughout the second set and got back into the match.

He continued with the game plan in the third and fourth sets as he kept hitting drop shots that forced Zverev close to the net. In the end he beat the World No.3 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, reminding everyone of his potential at the tournament.

After the match, Zverev was asked if Djokovic is underappreciated at 38 despite playing at the highest level of the sport. He said that Djokovic is a bit underrated at the moment and that at his age he can beat any player if he’s fully fit:

I think at the moment he’s a bit underrated to be honest. Funny that you say that. I think a lot of people count him out already. This year he’s had a win over Alcaraz at the Australian Open and a win over me at the French Open…If he’ll be 100% for the next match, because I do think it was quite a physical match for both of us. But he’s still beating the best of the best. I think everyone needs to respect that.

Zverev’s record against Top 10 players in Grand Slam events is underwhelming. He has just four wins and thirteen losses. The loss against Djokovic in the Roland Garros quarter-finals was more of the same story from him. Hopefully, he improves on his game ahead of the Wimbledon Championship, which starts on June 30.

Alexander Zverev addresses his loss against Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros

Novak Djokovic arrived in Paris fresh off claiming the Geneva Open but had lost three consecutive matches before that. He currently has a 21-7 win-loss record this season, nine of which have come in the last two weeks. He’s now seeking his 25th Grand Slam at Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev
Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev (Image via X/The Tennis Letter, The Tennis Podcast )

On the other hand, Alexander Zverev’s search for his first Grand Slam continues. The World No.3 has failed to get over the finishing line at the major tournaments despite being one of the most talented players of his generation. He revealed after the loss that he expected Djokovic to perform at his best level:

He’s won 24 of these things. I think, yes, I expected him to be able to play like this. I have not seen him play like this this year yet. I think it was very, very high level from him. It was at some point difficult for me. I mean, in the first set when the sun was not completely down, there was still some heat on the court.

Djokovic will now take on Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of the French Open. It will be the ninth meeting between the pair as their head-to-head record stands at 4-4. However, Djokovic won their only clay meeting at the 2021 Monte Carlo Masters.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner Wants to Face Lorenzo Musetti as He Dreams of All-Italian Roland Garros Final