In the world of German tennis, two names echo louder than most—Boris Becker and Alexander Zverev. One represents the golden age of German tennis glory, the other, its modern torchbearer. Yet, when generations clash, even shared national pride can’t stop sparks from flying.

Here’s an example of how things can change so rapidly within a few months. In April this year, Zverev briefly warred with the six-time major champion. During that time, while speaking on the Becker Petkovic podcast, the 57-year-old tennis legend said, “Sascha [Zverev] is a bit like a sports foster son. We are actually in regular exchange; he can call me day and night if he has a question, and then maybe I can answer them on the phone, or I can come to the training live.” He spoke about how he knows almost everything about Zverev’s strengths and weaknesses, and all he wanted was to give him a bit of his wealth of experience. But having said that, Becker also confirmed that he won’t be a coach. 

Now, if we take a look at Zverev’s performance this season, he has a win-loss record of 48-21. Although he showcased some impressive performances in quite a few tournaments this season, his only title triumph came at the BMW Open. Recently, after witnessing Alexander Zverev’s third-round exit from the Shanghai Masters, Becker took a jibe at him, highlighting his inconsistency. He said, “Nothing new is happening in his box either. There's his father, there's his brother—the same faces as always. He's a problem child right now. I really get a bit of a headache when I think about Sascha Zverev. He needs to turn things around again for the last two or three tournaments of the year.”

Zverev is now at Vienna, and he’s all set to start his campaign against the British star, Jacob Fearnley. But before that, in an interview with BILD, the world number three took a jibe at Becker. He said, “I think he's relatively unconcerned about me, to be honest. I think he's looking for a bit of attention, and he gets it through me. Unfortunately, that's the case. But I don't care anymore. Everything will work out, and I'm full of confidence that I'll find my form again and play good tennis again.”

With that, Alexander Zverev made it clear—he wasn’t interested in validation, even from legends. His tone wasn’t defensive or fiery; it was cold, detached, and unapologetically self-assured. It was the kind of statement that drew a line between the old guard and the new, signalling that Zverev was carving out his path without looking over his shoulder. Having said that, he also added, “And now there are tournaments that I really like indoors, Vienna and Paris, where I won last year. I think I can play good tennis there again.”

Zverev won the Vienna Open title in 2021 by defeating America’s Frances Tiafoe by 7-5, 6-4, while at the Paris Masters, he will enter this tournament as the defending champion. For Zverev, ‌2025 has been a year of rebuilding and resilience. After battling injuries and personal challenges, he’s worked his way back into the top tier, proving that consistency and mental fortitude can be louder than criticism. It’ll be interesting to see how well he manages to finish the year, but what are his overall thoughts about the 2025 season?

Alexander Zverev’s honest analysis of the 2025 season

Despite all the hurdles and sheer dominance from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the ATP Tour, Alexander Zverev has managed to remain a constant in the Top 3. But could he have done better without the physical struggles that he had this year? Who knows!

During his interview with BILD, Zverev said, “This year has been tough. I started well, but then had problems with my elbow, so I couldn't practice my serve properly.” He further added, “Since then, it's been challenging for me to serve, and my serving statistics plummeted. Then my back pain started, which I've had for several months, making it very difficult to find my rhythm. Just when I felt I was playing good tennis, like in Toronto and Cincinnati, the next setback came in New York with back issues. That sums up my year, a physically terrible season.”

Whether lifting smaller trophies or falling just short on the big stages, Zverev’s 2025 season became a lesson in perseverance. He didn’t dominate every week, but he refused to disappear.

But we’ve seen Boris Becker claim, “World class looks different. I really thought he was knocking on the door of (Jannik) Sinner and (Carlos) Alcaraz.” How does he look at the gap between him and these two?

Previously, in one instance, we saw Alexander Zverev receiving severe criticisms from tennis bigwigs for suggesting that Alcaraz and Sinner are being given an unfair advantage when it comes to court speeds. Hearing his complaints, Rennae Stubbs took a jibe at the world number three for “making excuses,” while Rick Macci hit out at the German’s “chirping” as he felt it’s a case of Alcaraz and Sinner being on “another level.” He urged Zverev to level up his own game.

However, when it comes to believing in his own abilities, Zverev recently admitted, “I know I can beat Carlos and Jannik; I am convinced, but first I need to regain confidence and believe that I can reach that level again.” He knows there is no magic formula to be at a hundred percent, and hence all he needs to do is put in the hard work and wait for the best results. 

As of now, his goal will be to finish the year on a positive note and carry forward that momentum to the 2026 AO. This year, he reached the final in Melbourne. Do you think he can get hold of his first major title in 2026?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta