“He is not as convinced of himself”: Boris Becker identifies reason behind Alexander Zverev’s recent struggles
Former world number one Boris Becker has pinpointed a key issue in Alexander Zverev’s recent slump following a series of underwhelming performances. The 27-year-old, widely regarded as one of the top players in men’s tennis, started 2025 strong by finishing as the runner-up at the Australian Open, where he lost to world number one Jannik Sinner in straight sets (6-3, 7-5, 6-3). That defeat marked Zverev’s third loss in a Grand Slam final. However, since then, his form has deteriorated.
Zverev’s recent results have been far from stellar. He was eliminated in the quarterfinals of both the Argentina and Rio Open, and exited in the Round of 16 at the Mexican Open, Indian Wells, and the Miami Open. In a recent interview with Tennis 365, Becker shared his thoughts on why Zverev has been struggling on court, attributing it to a mental block rather than a technical issue.
“I always start with the mental attitude,” Becker said. “He’s not as convinced of himself right now as he was in Melbourne or at the end of last year. Can you train that? I know Florida has some of the best facilities for technical training, but is there a place to train mentality, self-confidence, inner peace, and belief? I don’t think so. I believe he needs to find someone who can help him in that area, because for me, that’s the difference between victory and defeat for him right now.”
Becker also spoke about Zverev’s performance at the Miami Open, which he believes was an improvement over his previous tournaments. “I think Miami was better,” the six-time Grand Slam winner remarked. “I was worried he might take a break after Indian Wells, but he trained even more in Florida, and it showed. He played better against players like Jordan Thompson. He lost to Arthur Fils, who’s an extremely strong 20-year-old, but he had a break in the third set and still lost. It’s not about his forehand or fitness; it’s more mental.”
As Zverev continues to work on regaining his confidence, Becker’s insights suggest that the key to his recovery lies not just in physical training, but in strengthening his mental game.
