"He’s not comfortable": Former French player highlights why Alexander Zverev struggles to win against tougher opponents

Former French player Fabrice Santoro has highlighted the key area where Germany’s Alexander Zverev has struggled. The 27-year-old is regarded as one of the best players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category but has failed to deliver big events.

Zverev most recently suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final of the Australian Open 2025 to reigning world number one Italy’s Jannik Sinner in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. It was the third consecutive occasion where Zverev faltered at the last hurdle in a Grand Slam. In 2020, he lost to Dominic Thiem in a five-set thriller in the final of the US Open with a score of 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6. Just last year, the German tennis star suffered a defeat to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the French Open in another five-setter with a score of 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2.

The reigning world number two suffered a shocking defeat in the second round of the Mexican Open to America’s Learner Tien in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-4. In his last appearance before coming to Acapulco, he featured in the Rio Open, where his journey ended in the quarterfinal where he lost to Argentina’s Francisco Comesana with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Former French player Santoro has recently spoken to L’Equipe‘s Air Open podcast, where he highlighted the reason behind Zverev’s struggle against a tougher opponent. “He has a lot of quality, he’s a great champion, but he doesn’t have a very good hand,” said the 52-year-old. “He’s not comfortable [at the net] and unfortunately, when you take passing shots from Alcaraz or Sinner, you have to have a good volley, otherwise you get pierced. When you are so strong without playing forward, it is difficult to get out of your comfort zone. It is up to Zverev to say to himself, ‘okay, I can be more aggressive’.”