Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach Rennae Stubbs Savages Alexander Zverev After French Open 2025 Loss
Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, unleashed a scathing critique of Alexander Zverev following his 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Novak Djokovic in the French Open 2025 quarter-finals on June 4. In a post on X and a fiery segment on her *Racquet’s Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast*, Stubbs labeled Zverev’s performance “way too passive” and a “nightmare” for his Grand Slam aspirations, arguing that his inability to seize control against top players like Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz continues to hinder his quest for a maiden major title. “Zverev is just way too passive when he needs to be. Novak, Sinner, and Alcaraz aren’t going to give it to you,” she wrote on X, as reported by Sportskeeda.[](https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-djokovic-sinner-alcaraz-aren-t-going-give-you-serena-williams-ex-coach-rennae-stubbs-reviews-alexander-zverev-s-french-open-nightmare)
Stubbs, who coached Williams during her final 2022 US Open, pointed to Zverev’s tactical shortcomings, particularly his reliance on defensive baseline play rather than taking risks in critical moments. She contrasted this with Djokovic’s aggressive use of 35 drop shots, 30 of which won points, per The Athletic, which exposed Zverev’s inability to adapt. “He’s got the tools—big serve, great movement—but he plays not to lose instead of playing to win,” Stubbs said on her podcast, echoing her 2024 French Open assessment where she claimed Zverev “chokes when it really counts” after his final loss to Alcaraz.[](https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-alexander-zverev-chokes-really-counts-serena-williams-ex-coach-rules-german-french-open-2024-title-favorite)
This isn’t the first time Stubbs has targeted Zverev. In May 2025, she criticized his complaints about the Italian Open’s ball quality after a loss to Lorenzo Musetti, calling his remarks “laughable” and arguing he didn’t deserve his No. 2 ranking over Alcaraz. She also previously slammed his “rude” response to an interviewer at the 2024 Shanghai Masters, suggesting she’d tell him to “f*** off” for his tirade over a double-bounce call. Zverev’s post-match excuse blaming windy conditions for his French Open loss further fueled Stubbs’ ire, with her emphasizing that “greatness doesn’t make excuses,” a sentiment echoed by her colleague Rick Macci.
Despite reaching the 2024 French Open and 2025 Australian Open finals, Zverev’s 0-3 record in major finals and his passive approach, as Stubbs highlighted, continue to draw scrutiny as he prepares for the grass season.
