Alexander Zverev Issues a Warning to Jannik Sinner

From Montreal, Alexander Zverev sends a message to Jannik Sinner, who has decided to skip the Masters 1000 in Canada to focus on Cincinnati and, above all, the U.S. Open, which begins at the end of the month: “I understand him perfectly.”

“We had also considered skipping the Montreal tournament this year, but then we decided to participate. I think that to be in top form, some players need to play more tournaments, while others need to play fewer. I’m someone who needs competition, and that’s why I play. I think this is the second or third year in a row that Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic haven’t been there, and it’s simply a consequence of the two-week Masters tournament.”

“I used to play even more tournaments. I used to play more 500s and 250s when the Masters were shorter, but I don’t do that anymore—both because of the time I spend away from home and the time I devote to tournaments. I don’t think I’ll play my best tennis here, but I hope the experience will help me improve in Cincinnati and New York.”

The German then returned to the topic of Sinner: “It’s not good that I keep losing to the same opponent, or that I’ve lost to the same opponent multiple times, but I think it shows that we were the two most consistent players on the tour this year. And that, in my opinion, is a positive thing. I wanted to win at Wimbledon; I wanted to win the final, but in the end I faced an opponent who knows how to play in these moments and played a phenomenal match—a great match—that could have lasted a little longer. Overall, it was a good tournament, and I played some great tennis during that stretch.”

Despite his losses to the Italian, Zverev feels more determined than ever: “Being number one is a goal. I think playing the best tennis possible should always be the number one goal, because then the results will follow. Winning tournaments will follow. Climbing the rankings will follow.”