German tennis star Alexander Zverev, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, is chasing Jannik Sinner at the top of the ATP Rankings. As he gears up for a big push at the Madrid Open, Zverev opened up about his surprising pre-match routine — and it’s not what you might expect.
In an interview with the official ATP Tour website, Zverev was asked about his typical routine in the hour before a match. His answer? Sleep.
“Most of the time I’m sleeping,” Zverev laughed. “Probably until half an hour or 45 minutes before the match. Then I get taped, I warm up… there’s not really much thought going into it. As long as I get my nap, everything’s fine.”
When pressed on why he sleeps so close to match time, Zverev grinned and said simply:
“I just like to sleep. You’re trying to get a scientific answer out of me, but no — I just really like to sleep.”
Zverev on Managing Nerves
The conversation shifted to how Zverev mentally prepares for matches and whether nerves ever come into play. True to form, Zverev kept it lighthearted.
“You get nervous probably two minutes before walking out on court, or when you’re standing there playing Rafa [Nadal] on Philippe Chatrier and they announce he’s won the tournament 78 times,” Zverev joked. “Yeah, maybe you get a little nervous. But overall, I’m pretty relaxed before matches.”
The Importance of His Serve
Zverev also discussed the evolution of his serve — a critical weapon in his game.
“It’s something you can always rely on in important moments. This year, it’s been coming back, slowly but surely,” he said.
Reflecting on his past struggles, Zverev admitted he had to make technical changes to improve:
“There was a time I was really unstable on my second serve. I had to adjust my technique and change my ball toss a little bit. Having a stable serve you can trust makes a huge difference — it’s comforting, not just for the serve, but for your whole game.”
