Boris Becker reveals biggest issue Alexander Zverev is dealing with that’s stopping him from winning titles

World No.2 Alexander Zverev, who reached the Australian Open final, is trophy-less this season and last won a title at the 2024 Paris Masters.

Boris Becker reveals biggest issue Alexander Zverev is dealing with that’s stopping him from winning titles

Alexander Zverev, Boris Becker (Image via X/We Are Tennis, SPORTbible)

What’s stopping a talented player like Alexander Zverev from winning titles? According to Boris Becker, the problem is Zverev’s mental attitude.

Zverev had an impressive start to the season as he reached the Australian Open final for the first time in his career. But the Grand Slam title still eluded him as Sinner broke no sweat to triumph over him in straight sets to take home his third Major title.

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Since the Australian Open heartbreak, Zverev has performed mediocrely. In the three tournaments he played on the Golden Swing, the German ace failed to win more than two matches.

Then in the two Sunshine Double tournaments, he fell in his first match at Indian Wells and was knocked out of the fourth round of the Miami Open. Becker knows that Zverev has been working a lot on his game, but lacks self-conviction.

I always start with it, with the mental attitude, he is not as convinced of himself at the moment as he was in Melbourne or as he was at the end of last year.

Boris Becker said during the Becker Petkovic podcast

Zverev is a three-time Grand Slam finalist. Before this year’s Australian Open, he fell in five sets to Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 French Open and to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open, despite winning the first two sets of the match.

I know in Florida, there are the best training centers for forehand and backhand, for fitness, but is there also a school for mentality, for self-confidence, for inner peace, for inner faith? I don’t think so, and that’s something where, I think, a little that he just has to look there, who can take him further, who can help him there.

Boris Becker added

Andrea Petkovic lauds Alexander Zverev’s work ethic

Andrea Petkovic kept a close eye on Alexander Zverev during the Miami Open. Though Zverev was defeated by Arthur Fils, Petkovic was impressed with how he always showed up on training grounds.

Alexander Zverev (2)
Alexander Zverev (Image via X/Quindici Zero)

Every time I looked at the training schedule, he was in 3rd, 7th, and 18th place, Zverev, 4 hours here, 3 hours there. You just have to give it to him, he’s a damn hard worker.

Andrea Petkovic said on the Becker Petkovic podcast

Zverev, who is 14-6 on the season, last lifted a title at the 2024 Paris Masters. Due to his trophy drought, he lost the opportunity to dethrone Jannik Sinner from the top of the rankings table.

Sinner, currently serving his doping ban, sits on the top with 10,330 points followed by the World No.2 with 7,645 points. Even if Zverev wins win the next two Masters 1000 titles, he won’t be able to reach a career-high No.1. Sinner’s ban will lift on May 4 and he could make his comeback in his home tournament, the Italian Open. This will only make it tough for Zverev to replace the 23-year-old as World No.1.

Alexander Zverev is gearing up for the Monte Carlo Masters

The Sunshine Double is done and dusted and it’s time for the clay swing. Monte Carlo Masters will mark the first Masters 1000 on the red dirt, the main draw of which starts on April 6.

Alexander Zverev (3)
Alexander Zverev (Image via X/ATP Tour)

Alexander Zverev, although he got knocked out of the fourth round by eventual winner Stefanos Tsitsipas in the principality last year, overall had decent campaigns in the clay season. Following early exits at the Bavarian International and the Madrid Open, Zverev won his first title of the season by beating Nicolas Jarry in the Italian Open final. He was then denied the French Open title by Carlos Alcaraz.