The yellow of the ball – Boris Becker exclusive: “Zverev fails on Zverev, not on the opponent”

What the opponent is called, according to Becker, “actually doesn’t really matter. Zverev fails because of Zverev and not because of the opponent.”

A defeat that Zverev had brought himself to a certain extent, according to Becker. “It was a roller coaster ride. Partly world class, partly not at all good. He still makes the same mistakes, that’s the annoying thing.”

The ex-professional and three-time Wimbledon winner referred to Zverev’s claim “to win Grand Slams” and emphasized in the same breath: “I think he has the potential to do so”.

Right now, when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, the “Big Three are slowly coming to an end,” he said, he sees the 24-year-old as a leader among the younger generation. Zverev doesn’t have to hide behind anyone, according to Becker.

Becker criticizes: “Every time it was the same mistake”

Im Podcast “The Yellow from the Ball” explained the Eurosport expert also, where the US Open finalist from 2020 still has to improve in order to finally get far at the big tournaments on a regular basis. The 53-year-old didn’t mince his words and went into even greater detail in his analysis.

So Zverev remains too passive in critical phases. “He’s behind the baseline and hopes that his opponent will make a mistake,” complained Becker and made it clear: “That’s enough against the badly placed, but the better ones don’t make a mistake.”

You can practice that in training, but according to Becker, it is much more important that he shows it in the match. “Every time he lost, it was the same mistake,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner.

THE YELLOW FROM THE BALL: The Eurosport tennis podcast