Puts himself in position: “Ultimately, it’s all about who is mentally stronger,” says Alexander Zverev. Image: AP
The US Open is all about Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. But who can challenge the outstanding two? The upcoming pursuer duel with Alexander Zverev could provide information.
Alexander Zverev is pretty tidy in New York most of the time. Again and again he has a casual saying, whether it’s about his past matches or the marijuana that involuntarily gets up his nose while playing. Germany’s best tennis pro only gets tighter-lipped when he’s asked about one thing: How does he think that the US Open is almost all about defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Grand Slam record winner Novak Djokovic and less about him and the rest?
Oh, Zverev says, the supposed dream final is above all a media phenomenon: “It is natural that the media are looking for rivalries.” Two years ago they wrote mainly about Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and himself, last year about Rafael Nadal vs the rest of the world. And now they are counting on the 36-year-old Serb and the 20-year-old Spaniard.
