Alexander Zverev will open his ATP Finals campaign in Turin against Spanish tournament debutant Rafael Jodar on Sunday afternoon at 14:00 local time, Der Tagesspiegel reported.
The world number one arrives at the Inalpi Arena carrying two Grand Slam titles from New York and Paris alongside mounting scrutiny over his negative record against top-ten opponents. Zverev told the Corriere dello Sport that he feels motivated rather than pressured ahead of the year-end championship. “Nein, ich glaube nicht, dass ich noch viel zu beweisen habe,” he said.
Critics argue that Zverev benefited from the prolonged absences of rivals Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz during his ascent to the top of the rankings. Following an early exit at the Paris Masters, Zverev complained that it nerves him to justify his position more than any previous top-ranked player.
“Ich habe es verdient, dort zu sein, wo ich bin,” Zverev said.
The German player also addressed ongoing friction with three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker regarding public sympathy in Germany. Becker recently suggested that Zverev’s sometimes unfriendly behavior toward domestic journalists contributed to his reception compared to past champions like Steffi Graf.
“Ich glaube, dass er wie immer relativ viel Blödsinn erzählt,” Zverev told Der Tagesspiegel in response.
Becker later downplayed the remarks as a media-driven rivalry and declared himself Zverev’s biggest fan. “Nummer eins wird man nicht zufällig. Er hat es sich im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes erarbeitet,” Becker told Der Tagesspiegel, adding that Zverev found his game through sheer fight.
Zverev lands in a round-robin group alongside Jodar, Frenchman Arthur Fils, and American Ben Shelton, whom Zverev defeated in the US Open final. Alcaraz competes in the opposite group, meaning a clash between the two top stars cannot occur before the semifinal stage.
The tournament runs through the weekend at the Inalpi Arena, where Zverev seeks his third ATP Finals crown following previous titles in 2018 and 2021.
When does Alexander Zverev play his first match at the ATP Finals?
Zverev meets Rafael Jodar on Sunday afternoon at 14:00 local time (Sky) in Turin.
Who are Zverev’s other group opponents in Turin?
He shares his group with Arthur Fils and Ben Shelton.
How many ATP Finals titles has Zverev won previously?
He won the year-end championship twice, in 2018 and 2021.
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