Zverev Needs Change, Warns Becker – Time Running Out

Tennis legend Boris Becker and ex-professional Andrea Petkovic looked for answers to the question in their joint podcast “Becker Petkovic” why Alexander Zverev was again not enough for the US Open 2025.

Becker once again suggested the number one German to think about fundamental changes – and in this context, especially in Zverev’s environment.

“The player has to be protected. A castle has to be built so that he can lead the scepter as a castle lord and does his job. It was so with (Rafael, editor’s note) Nadal, at (Roger) Federer, is at (aryna) Sabalenka, at (iga) Swiatek – and currently not at Alexander Zverev,” the 57 -year -old.

Becker continued: “I saw Zverev’s training phases. And on my own bank the father, the brother, the son of the brother, the brother, the mother and two dogs. Sascha himself had almost no place on the bench.” Symbolically for the dynamics in the Zverev team. It was different, for example, at Becker’s ex -protégé: “On the other hand, (Novak) Djokovic was one or two supervisors – and they were just.”

“Of course the back hurt. And of course he didn’t move so well with the forehand. But he also won games where that was. But the energy was more positive, aggressive, powerful. You didn’t see that that day,” said Becker, Zverev’s aura, the last time, the lasting, the physical, mental strength that is currently missing. “

In a tennis game it is always “about the energy that is broadcast on the square. It’s like a theater stage.” The main characters are the players. “It starts with the warm up in the morning. Sometimes they are in the same place at the same time and then you radiate energy. Positive, aggressive, negative, anxious. Everyone feels that,” said Becker.

At Djokovic, this energy is “always only aggressive”, Nadal, on the other hand, always broadcast “strength” and demonstrated. “Since you have to be even stronger as a counterpart – and it doesn’t make it,” said Becker. Zverev also had this energy on good days, but he fell into “passivity” on bad ones: “The Félix feels this on such an evening and threw his chance – and noticed it.”

Zverev was also too “passive”, as was so often the case with himself. He “played really badly” and “had nothing in the racket”.

In order to change something in the current situation and yet to achieve the big goal of the first Grand Slam title, according to Becker, Zverev has to ask himself “why is that? And is he ready to change something?”

It is not just about his environment, but also about himself: “Are you ready to change something in your life to improve it? Or are you doing well enough that you don’t want that? This questions can only answer Sascha Zverev.”

However, Zverev must hurry when answering these questions. “The problem is: Time is slowly running out. It will be 29 years old next year. The boys will be better,” said Becker: “The time to get your own truth is slowly running out.”