Roger Federer made a prediction about Alexander Zverev in 2017 which he hasn’t quite been able to live up to
Alexander Zverev’s Grand Slam Woes Continue After Australian Open Final Loss to Jannik Sinner
For the third time in his career, Alexander Zverev has suffered defeat in a Grand Slam final, with Jannik Sinner delivering the latest heartbreak at the Australian Open. The world number two was beaten 6-3, 7-6(7-4), 6-3 by the Italian, who secured his maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne.
Boris Becker’s Take on Zverev’s Performance
Boris Becker believes Zverev was nervous before the final, an issue that may have contributed to his loss. This marks yet another missed opportunity for the German, who previously fell short at the 2020 US Open and 2024 French Open. Despite his impressive consistency at tour-level events, Zverev has yet to claim that elusive Grand Slam title.
Roger Federer’s 2017 Prediction: Has Zverev Lived Up to It?
Back in 2017, Roger Federer saw Zverev as a future star, predicting that he would “carry” the sport forward. After losing to Zverev in the 2017 ATP Masters 1,000 Canada final, Federer praised the young German’s game:
“He’s been playing well, but he has to do this for a whole year. He has a big game. He serves well. He has a great backhand. I like his backhand.”
That year, Zverev claimed five ATP Tour titles, including victories in Rome and Canada, further establishing himself as a rising force.
| Alexander Zverev’s 2017 ATP Tour Titles | Surface |
|---|---|
| Montpellier | Indoor/hard |
| Munich | Outdoor/clay |
| Rome (Masters 1,000) | Outdoor/clay |
| Washington | Outdoor/hard |
| Canada (Masters 1,000) | Outdoor/hard |
However, while Zverev has remained among the elite, his Grand Slam journey has been frustratingly stagnant. Now, a new generation, led by Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, has started to overtake him.
Zverev: ‘Jannik Is Better Than Me Right Now’
Zverev himself acknowledged Sinner’s superiority in the Australian Open final post-match press conference:
“In general, Jannik is better than me at the moment. It’s as simple as that.
I think I served better than Jannik, and everything else he does better. So at the end of the day, he deserves to win. He’s the best player on hard courts right now.”
Despite being the ATP world number two with 23 ATP Tour titles, Zverev is at risk of being left behind by the younger stars. With Novak Djokovic still competing at the top, and Sinner and Alcaraz emerging as dominant forces, Zverev’s window for Grand Slam success is getting smaller.
The question now is: Can Zverev finally break through and win a major, or will the new generation leave him behind?
