Alexander Zverev credits Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for unmatched mental strength that’s led to their Grand Slam success
Zverev opens up about how mental strength plays part in tennis.
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From left: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal (Image via Tennis Now)
Alexander Zverev has recently credited Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for their immense mental strength. He attributes their unparalleled success at Grand Slams to this particular quality of theirs. He also explains the importance of mental determination needed for success in his on-court interview following his victory against Grigor Dimitrov.
When asked about the mental capabilities needed to be successful, Zverev explains that all the players have a similar routine when it comes to physically preparing their bodies for the game. However, each player has a different mental capability. Sometimes mental strength proves to be more important than the physical strength that all players work so hard on. Physical strength is what puts the players in a position where they can compete against the best. However, it is the mental strength that helps them come out successful.
“There’s a certain Novak Djokovic & a certain Rafa Nadal who’ve been doing it for the past 20 years,” said the German. He praised the greats for their mental perseverance. He also admitted that this strength kept them miles ahead of other players. Djokovic and Nadal have 23 and 22 Grand Slam titles each, making them first and second in the list of men with most Grand Slam titles. He also admitted that he is just trying to learn from both players. He hopes to play with the same mental determination.
While Zverev does not hold the same achievements as Djokovic and Nadal do, he still has a few titles to add to his name. With a career-high ranking of World No.2, he has an Olympic gold under his belt. He beat Novak Djokovic in the semi-final at the Tokyo Olympics to make his way to the final. At the 2022 Roland Garros, he proved to be the toughest opponent against the King of Clay. Unfortunately, he had to retire due to an ankle injury.
Alexander Zverev overthrows Grigor Dimitrov to reach the fourth round of the US Open
The German defeated Grigor Dimitrov in the third round of the US Open to reach the round of 16. There, he will face World No. 6 Jannik Sinner to make his step towards the quarter-final.
Zverev beat the Bulgarian in an epic thriller with a score of 6-7, 7-6, 6-1, 6-11, with two of the 4 sets they played ending in tiebreakers. The first two sets showed both players fighting an equal battle. However, Zverev picked up the pace in the third round, making a clean victory.
The former World No.2 will face Sinner in the fourth round. Sinner will be the toughest opponent he would have faced in this tournament. With high praise coming in for the Italian from the tennis world, both players will prove to be a tough competitor to the other. Both of them will have to play their best game yet to come out on top of the other.
In case you missed it:
- Jelena Ostapenko discloses what advantage she will have against Iga Swiatek ahead of their much anticipated US Open round four clash
- David Ferrer dreaming of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz teaming up for the Davis Cup amid a slim hope of possibility
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Ramya Rangarajan
(267 Articles Published)