"I need to improve on those things": Alexander Zverev highlights where he must improve to compete with Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz for major titles, top spot in ATP rankings

Germany’s Alexander Zverev has highlighted where he is looking to improve in the near future. The 27-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players currently playing in men’s tennis in the singles category.

Zverev is currently taking part in the Rio Open, where he has already cemented his place in the quarterfinal after beating Alexander Shevchenko in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 7-6.

Talking after the match, Zverev stated that he is looking to improve on winning big titles and become the best in the world, something he lacks compared to Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz. “My goal is to compete with Jannik and Carlos for the biggest titles and for the world number one,” he said. “There are some things that they do better than me so I need to improve on those things.”

Zverev had an impressive start to his 2025 campaign he 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.

That’s not it, as in 2024, Zverev lost in the semifinal of the Australian Open to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, despite winning the first two sets, in a five-set clash with a score of 5-7, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-3.