Alexander Zverev enjoyed a tough weekend at the Laver Cup, but the German stood up when it mattered in his homeland to bring the trophy back to Team Europe.
Kickstarting proceedings with a doubles defeat alongside Carlos Alcaraz, he would then lose to Taylor Fritz once again before Sunday saw him face off against Frances Tiafoe.
Lose, and Team World would have retained the title, but win and he gave his side a chance.
And yet, despite being a set and a break down, he rallied to win the match, allowing Alcaraz to then take the glory in the final showdown.
Despite all the festivities and excitement over the weekend, a very real debate continues to rage on about the viability of all this tennis.
Alexander Zverev reacts to Grand Slam boycott suggestions
Amidst all the excitement of the Laver Cup, there were some pretty serious topics discussed throughout.
However, few were as important and pertinent as John McEnroe’s claims that tennis players should boycott Grand Slams to sort the scheduling out.
Alexander Zverev, quizzed on this topic, pulled no punches, stating: ‘There is no other sport where there is so much play; this cannot continue. The players’ health is at risk; it’s inconceivable that we start a season on December 29 and finish in the second week of November.’
Then asked if there were plans to take action, he responded: ‘Why? It’s all about money here; that’s all the ATP cares about; players have no decision-making power.’
One final input from the reporter actively suggested that action could be taken, to which Zverev frustratingly noted: ‘Fine, what would you do? Tell me. No, seriously. Often you journalists come here asking us impossible questions; now I want to know what you would do.
‘If you want to fight for important things like being the world’s No 1 and winning Grand Slams, with this calendar, you have to play numerous weeks a year; that’s unsustainable.
‘This week we can talk, and we all agree on many things, but we can’t change anything. It’s all about money. Tournaments have licenses, and we can’t do anything against that. It’s impossible to eliminate tournaments just like that; we would have to compensate all those events because they have their licenses. It’s not viable.’
Then, he sarcastically claimed: ’Okay, I’ll listen to you, and we’ll boycott. We stop competing, stage a boycott, and then what? Do you think that would change anything?
‘We’d lose money, other players would take our place, and nothing would change in the schedule. I only trust the steps being taken by the PTPA to make ourselves heard, but this is an issue that has no short-term solution.’
Does the Laver Cup add to scheduling problems?
As what is effectively a glorified exhibition tournament, many might question why or how the Laver Cup fits into the tennis calendar.
However, few can argue against its entertainment factor, with many players tempted to take part purely due to the camaraderie the event brings.
But, with Zverev the latest to complain about the ever-increasing amount of tennis to be played, and the Laver Cup taking up further room, there’s a valid concern growing.
Iga Swiatek has complained about the schedule routinely, as has Alcaraz and many others.
It’s worth wondering how long this might go on before something has got to give, and when push comes to shove, ATP and WTA events will take priority over fun exhibitions like the Laver Cup.
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