Alexander Zverev suggests tennis has made a change in the last two years which has not been good

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Alexander Zverev will be searching for his first Grand Slam title at this year’s Australian Open.

2024 was another strong year for the German ATP star, as he returned to his career-high ranking of number two in the world.

Zverev reached the French Open final, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets, his first appearance in a Major final since the 2020 US Open.

The 27-year-old also added two Masters 1000 titles to his collection as Zverev won the Italian Open, and Paris Masters, to take his career tally to seven.

Zverev was injured at the United Cup to begin the 2025 season, which has led many to question his fitness ahead of the upcoming Australian Open.

Just a few days out from the tournament, Zverev talked about a recent change in tennis that he wasn’t the biggest fan of.

Alexander Zverev says he wasn’t a fan of ‘half-hearted’ coaching rules in tennis

In his pre-tournament press conference, Zverev was asked for his thoughts on coaching, following the recent move of coaches sitting court level at the Australian Open.

“In my opinion, I’ve always said it, I think tennis is a sport where you have to figure out things on your own,” he said.

“But if they allow coaching, this is the right way, this half-hearted stuff that we had over the last few years is not good.

“Either you go 100% towards coaching is allowed, you’re allowed to use data, you’re allowed to use everything that makes it possible for you to win, or you don’t do it at all.

“This half-hearted stuff, somebody is allowed to scream something when you’re on this side, but you’re allowed to have a conversation, it’s not right.

“I think you go full on, coaching is allowed, or you say, no, tennis is an individual sport and coaching is not allowed.

“I think this is a much better way than it was last year.”

Zverev was then asked what it is like being coached by his father and brother, and how their relationship works on and off the court.

“For me, they’re my coaches, right? That’s how I see them on the tennis court,” he said.

“I’ve talked about my relationship with my father quite a lot.

“I think why it’s working extremely well, why it’s such a healthy relationship, is because we can differentiate and he can differentiate private life to tennis.

“When we are at tournaments, he’s my coach, and that’s it.

“He’s not somebody that really overlooks my day-to-day life, he’s not somebody that wants to know where I go to dinner, what time I went to bed, what time I woke up.

“That’s not how it is between me and my father.”

The world number two thinks a healthy father-son relationship in tennis is rare, but is happy with his current situation.

“That’s why maybe some father-kid relationships who are also involved in the tennis coaching are not working so well,” said Zverev.

“They want to oversee everything, they want to be involved in everything, that just doesn’t work.

“At some point everybody becomes an adult, and everybody becomes their own person.

“My father has been really smart at realizing that, he’s been extremely good at that.

“Where other cases, I feel like that has not been the case.

“That’s why there have been some split-ups between parents and kids and all of that.”

What have Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz said about off-court coaching?

Coaches will be allowed to give guidance to players during matches in 2025, a change that has left the tennis world divided.

Many tennis purists think the move goes against the spirit of the game, whilst others are far less offended by the change.

Daniil Medvedev gave his thoughts on the new coaching rules at the end of last year and didn’t seem quite as bothered as some of his fellow players.

“For me, it’s not a problem, I don’t have anything against it or for it,” he said.

“If it would not be there, I would be happy, it’s there I’m happy, whatever.”

World number four Taylor Fritz also gave his thoughts on the coaching rules, with the American far less impressed by the move.

“Can we stop ruining the 1v1 mental/strategic aspect of the game please,” he said on X.

It remains to be seen how off-court coaching will affect players in 2025, but it’ll certainly be interesting to see at this year’s Australian Open.

Zverev kicks off his campaign against Lucas Pouille on January 12, while Medvedev plays Kasidit Samrej, and Fritz plays Jenson Brooksby on January 14.