Former World No.1 Believes Alexander Zverev Missed an “Opportunity” at the 2026 Australian Open

Alexander Zverev narrowly missed the chance to reach the final of the 2026 Australian Open. The German star was two points away from making a historical win over Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals but failed to do so. Former World No.1 Jimmy Connors has revealed that Zverev missed a glorious opportunity to win his maiden Grand Slam in Melbourne.

Zverev had entered the match against Alcaraz as the underdog. The 28-year-old found himself down two sets before Alcaraz began to struggle with cramps in the third set, which gave him the chance to regroup and push for a comeback. In the pulsating contest, he won the third and fourth sets in a tiebreak despite squandering chances to make it easy.

In the fifth set, he ultimately led 5:4 and was attempting to serve out the match. But he failed to do so and was then broken. He was also broken in the final game of the match, which ultimately saw him lose to Alcaraz 4-6, 6(5)-7, 7-6(3), 7-6(3), 5-7 after five hours and 30 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Zverev’s run at the Australian Open was the first time since last year’s Melbourne Grand Slam that he reached the semi-finals of a major tournament. The World No.3 certainly looked the better player after Alcaraz began to struggle with physical problems, but he failed to take advantage of the opportunity.

The defeat has called into question his ability to get over the line in big matches as the German star still seeks his elusive Grand Slam title. During a conversation on Advantage Connors podcast, 8-time Grand Slam champion Jimmy Connors claimed that Zverev missed a significant chance to win the Australian Open:

I mean, he’s had opportunities and, you know, what an opportunity he had there. I don’t know what to say about that. We’ve talked about him for five or six years now and the opportunities that he’s had — maybe this is the one he looks back on and says: ‘I know I can do it now. Just do it. Just go out, and it’s enough already. To be put in that situation to play Djoker [Djokovic], who had a long match too –- the stars might’ve just aligned for him.

Zverev currently holds a 0-3 record in Grand Slam finals, which has been a negative experience for him. Should he have beaten Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, he could have taken on a rather fatigued Novak Djokovic in the final, which could have been an easy road to his maiden Grand Slam on tour.

Alexander Zverev withdraws from the Rotterdam Open

Alexander Zverev has followed Carlos Alcaraz in withdrawing from the Rotterdam Open. Alcaraz was meant to defend his title at the tournament following his Australian Open triumph, but he decided to withdraw due to fatigue. Zverev didn’t have much to defend in Rotterdam as he crashed out in the second round last year.

The 28-year-old lost to Tallon Griekspoor in the second round last year. He has competed in the tournament six times in his career. In a statement released by the Rotterdam Open, Zverev revealed that he’s prioritizing his ankle injury recovery as he would have loved playing at the ATP 500 tournament:

I find it incredibly unfortunate that I have to make this decision. At the ABN AMRO Open, I was already given a chance as a young player, and that’s why I always enjoy returning. However, given my history with my ankle, I have to prioritise my recovery and can’t take any risks. I wish everyone in Rotterdam a wonderful week.

Zverev holds a 6-2 record this year and will be looking to be back on the court during the Middle East swing. However, the Rotterdam Open will kick off on February 9 with Alex de Minaur, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Alexander Bublik as the only top 10 players in the main draw.

Also Read: Boris Becker Under Fire For Mocking Emma Raducanu’s Transylvania Open Run: “Leave Her Alone”

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