Alexander Zverev lost to Jannik Sinner again on Wednesday, as the Italian continues to dominate their rivalry…
The world number three was slightly more competitive than he was in Paris a few weeks ago, but still failed to take a set off Sinner, as he lost 4-6, 3-6.
Zverev had plenty of break-point opportunities, seven in total, but failed to convert a single one in his 29th career match at the ATP Finals.
He’s now 1-1 in Group Bjorn Borg, and will need to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in his final round-robin match to advance to the semis.
Reacting to Zverev’s defeat to Sinner, former world number four Tim Henman had some strong words for the German and his coaching team.
Tim Henman calls for change after ‘predictable’ Alexander Zverev defeat
The Brit didn’t mince his words when analysing Zverev’s group-stage loss to Sinner.
“Tonight, it wasn’t close. It was 6-4, 6-3; it was predictable,” said Henman.
“Yes, he had seven break points; if he had taken one of those, could it have been different? It might have been a bit different; he might have gotten to a tiebreak.
“But, it just wasn’t that close; it was predictable.”
Henman doesn’t think Zverev is taking full advantage of his skill set, as he continues to play a passive brand of tennis.
“With all due respect, it’s become a performance we expected to see from [Alexander] Zverev,” he said.
“He’s a very, very good player, don’t get me wrong. But he’s just not taking advantage of his skill set.
“In the second set, once he gets down a set and a break, it’s like his back is against the wall, he’s got no other alternative, it’s like right, I’m just going to go for it. Then he plays more aggressively, flattens out his forehand, and puts Sinner under a little bit more pressure, and it’s a little bit too late.
“Why don’t you start like that? If you take risks and make mistakes and lose, you were probably going to lose anyway. At least then you’re having much more of an impact in the match.”
Henman wants to see Zverev reach his full potential and join the fight with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
“As fans of the game, it’s amazing to have [Jannik] Sinner and [Carlos] Alcaraz at the top, but I don’t think we collectively want a two-horse race; we want to see others close the gap,” he said.
ATP top five
| Rank | Name | Country | Points | Points gap to #1 |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain | 11,050 | – |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | Italy | 10,000 | 1,050 |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | Germany | 4,960 | 6,090 |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 4,830 | 6,220 |
| 5 | Ben Shelton | USA | 3,970 | 7,080 |
“When you have got the weapons like that, Zverev can close the gap. He’s got to be brave, he’s got to accept the responsibility of, if he misses, he misses, it’s his fault, but this is the way that he can close the gap.”
Sky Sports presenter Gigi Salmon then asked Henman for his thoughts on Zverev’s recent comments, where he outlined his plans to make changes to his game.
“Actions!” said Henman.
Tim Henman is frustrated with Alexander Zverev
“Actions speak louder than words.
“Yes, he wants to win a Grand Slam; we all want to.”
The Brit also suggested it could be time for Zverev to make a change to his coaching team…
‘It’s not rocket science’ – Tim Henman on Alexander Zverev’s coaching team failures
Henman believes it’s time for Zverev to add another voice to his coaching setup.
“I think he needs that input,” he said.
“It’s not rocket science. Anyone who’s got any understanding of the game is going to say, Sascha, you’ve got a great serve, you’ve got some weapons, but you’re not using them, so how are you going to use them?
“It’s not about changing anything technically, but it’s about court positioning, it’s about being brave, taking the shot on, and accepting that sometimes you’re going to miss.
Should Alexander Zverev get a new coach?
“But if you’re missing in the right way, playing in the right way, you’ve got a better chance than that.”
Zverev is currently coached by his father, Alexander Zverev Sr, and brother Mischa Zverev.
He’s previously worked with several Spanish coaches, including David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Earlier this year, Zverev spent time with Toni Nadal and Rafael Nadal, although it doesn’t seem like ‘Uncle Toni’ is interested in a full-time coaching position.
Only time will tell if Zverev will make a coaching hire before the 2026 season begins, but it will certainly be something to look out for.
There’s still work to be done in Turin, however, as Zverev now prepares to take on Auger-Aliassime on Friday, November 14, with a place in the semifinals up for grabs.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
