Boris Becker in the podcast The Yellow Off the Ball: That’s why the Zverev team works so well

It’s about trust.

Alexander Zverev needs an environment that hits the right note and gives the decisive tips. “It’s a balancing act,” emphasizes Boris Becker at Eurosport. “But I think the Zverev family has managed this balancing act in the past 18 months,” the six-time Grand Slam tournament winner continued.

This can be seen in the great successes of the 24-year-old. This year alone, the man from Hamburg won six titles, more than ever before and more than any other player this season.

For Becker a clear sign that something has changed mentally at the Olympic champion.

Podcast – The yellow one from the ball

“In the past, Sascha may have been happy to have made it to the semifinals or to have played a good match against Djokovic. But I think he has lost too often in the semifinals or finals now. That makes the difference. These are all lessons that do hurt “, the 54-year-old knows from personal experience.

Zverev is “now going into the tournament with one goal: I want to win the tournament, I want to bring the trophy home. And you can see that. He doesn’t let up in his body tension and concentration.”

Becker: Why Mischa Zverev is always important

The progress is closely related to the family environment.

The tasks are clearly distributed. “The father is still the boss, but Misha also plays a very important role,” explains Becker in Eurosport-Pocast The yellow from the ball. “A he is ten years older brother. B he was the absolute top player as a player. Mischa may not have been in the top 10, but on good days she beat almost everyone. So he knows what he is talking about.”

In 2017, Mischa Zverev climbed to 25th place in the world rankings. The 34-year-old has not yet finished his career, although this season he has mainly competed in Challenger competitions. He also acts as a manager, mentor, training partner and tipster for his younger brother. Especially when Papa Alexander Zverev senior is not there, as was the case last time in Turin, Mischa is the most important contact person for the world number three – in almost all situations. In addition, mother Irina is often on tour with the team, even if she rarely shows up in the box due to nervousness.

Zverev relies fully on the family

After Zverev worked together with external coaches such as Ivan Lendl or David Ferrer in the past, the team this year again focused more on the family.

“I have decided to go back to the roots and that my family will help me with training and also with management,” said the tennis star at the beginning of the year. The father will “always be my most important coach”.

In addition, fitness coach Jez Green, physiotherapist Hugo Gravil and Sergej Bubka junior, who helps in management and acts as a hitting partner, form the closest circle. Also important in the Zverev cosmos: buddy Marcelo Melo, who plays on the tour as a double specialist and is often a guest in the German’s box.

Becker: “Zverev unpredictable”

The Zverev team works. “You can see clearly: Sascha plays better tennis, he wins more and is more successful. This is also because the whole family works wonderfully together,” praised Becker. “He’s a more complete player and has become more unpredictable.”

Now it’s about charging the battery for the 2022 season. “I hope that he will take a ten-day break – in my opinion it could be 14 days – because the season is long and Australia is not the day after tomorrow. It would be great, when he remembers in the next year why he played so well. Because he has this inner calm, has become a more complete player – and as a result plays tennis very well. “

Podcast – The yellow from the ball: Becker sees Zverev as number one