Zverev spills the beans on Jannik Sinner: “I didn’t sleep a wink”

His first Grand Slam title has finally arrived, and Alexander Zverev can now finally let his guard down, revealing some details about his triumph at Roland Garros—and in particular about the fateful day Jannik Sinner was eliminated from the tournament after feeling unwell during his match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

Zverev, who had downplayed the Italian’s elimination during the tournament, now admits he felt immense pressure: “When Sinner lost, I didn’t sleep a wink that night. Luckily, I didn’t play against Quentin Halys until the following evening, so I was able to sleep all day…”.

But the German still felt the pressure, partly due to Djokovic’s loss: “The very next day, Djokovic lost… And in fact, the worst match I played in the tournament was the one against Halys.”

Sinner’s loss hit him hard: “Suddenly, I was the clear favorite of the tournament, a situation I had never experienced in a Grand Slam. I knew that if I played well, I could and should have won the tournament. I managed it incredibly well right up to the final. In the final, I was very nervous, I was tense, but even there I played my best tennis at the crucial moments.”

Looking ahead, Zverev says he’s optimistic: “I think I’ve taken a weight off my shoulders, because even if I were to play a Grand Slam final against Sinner or Alcaraz and things didn’t go as planned, I know I’ve already won.”