Alexander Zverev is a bit of an enigma, and his quest for Grand Slam glory has shown no sign of coming to an end in 2025.
Zverev did reach the final of the Australian Open, but his final against Jannik Sinner proved a non-contest, with the Italian defending his title with aplomb.
Recently, Nick Kyrgios has suggested whether Zverev can ever win a major, and right now, it has to be said that the jury is probably out.
Zverev is waiting to truly make a big statement, and after losing in three Grand Slam finals, it’s no surprise that people are starting to doubt him.
With Zverev now 28, perhaps there is some sentiment in his mind that he might have been better served listening closer to Juan Carlos Ferrero when the pair worked together previously.
Carlos Alcaraz has become one of the world’s greatest players under his tutelage and Zverev might be forgiven for casting an envious glance in the direction of his coaching staff.
What Alexander Zverev was told he does too much by Juan Carlos Ferrero
The German only worked with the well-respected coach and former French Open champion for a year before the pair decided to split.
Zverev decided to go in a different direction and just a year after the world number three made that decision, Alcaraz burst onto the scene with Ferrero in his corner.
It seems clear that Ferrero was unable to get a tune out of Zverev when it came to winning a big title and in an interview with Punto de Break in 2020, he shared one major concern that he had.
He said: “To topple the big three, both Zverev and the rest of the younger players who aim to do so have to significantly improve their off-court routines, from their diet to their physical condition.
“When I was with him, he was always late and didn’t respect the rules that were set for him. In the eight months I was with him I realised he had a lot of distractions outside of tennis. He constantly receives calls, messages and people who suddenly appear in his life.
“He wastes time on Instagram and can’t concentrate on tennis. I remember three-hour training sessions where he couldn’t perform at an adequate level for an hour and a half.
“I told him about it, reproaching him for his lack of attitude and constant lateness, and there was an argument. I think he was disrespecting all the team members. The environment around a young man like him is a key factor, because when you start earning money, you can get dizzy and lose focus.”
Zverev might have missed his chance to win a Grand Slam
Ultimately, the walls have closed in around Zverev and after so long spent as the world number two, he’s now a long way behind Sinner and Alcaraz in the world rankings.
With that in mind, his job of winning a major title is going to be extremely difficult now, given that he’s likely to go into every tournament knowing he needs to beat both of the top two players.
Zverev lost in the first round at Wimbledon in 2025 and followed it up with a third-round defeat at the US Open to compound a pretty drab year on the majors side of things.
These comments from Ferrero now seem extremely relevant and even in the player’s own mind, he must be wondering whether his day in the sun will come at a Grand Slam in the future.
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