World No. 2 Alexander Zverev reveals the reason behind his recent struggles in performance

Despite holding the No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings, trailing only Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev has faced notable inconsistencies this season. His struggles were evident at the Madrid Open, where the German fell in the fourth round to Francisco Cerúndolo.

As the 28-year-old gears up to defend his title at the Rome Open, he spoke candidly in a press conference, shedding light on the mental and physical tolls that have affected his game.

“It’s great to return to a tournament where I was the champion last year. I love competing here and hope to showcase the same level of tennis I displayed then,” Zverev shared. “But before the Munich tournament, my tennis was really poor, and I know why—I didn’t take a few weeks off after the Australian Open. That was a mistake because I ended up mentally burned out”.

“Tennis is a tough sport; we need to give our bodies and minds time to recover, and I didn’t do that when I should have. Now, I have to stay positive and remember that I won a tournament just two weeks ago,” he added.

Alexander Zverev shakes hands with Francisco Cerundolo following the Round of 16 match of the Madrid Open. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Zverev prepares to defend Rome title

With the Rome Masters 1000 set to begin this week, Zverev is under pressure to replicate his 2024 success and defend critical ranking points. Failure to perform well could result in Carlos Alcaraz overtaking him for the No. 2 ranking.

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“I feel confident here,” Zverev stated. “I really like the place, so I hope I can play as well as last year and win a lot of matches”. The defending champion is set to debut on Friday, May 9, against Jeremias Ugo Carabelli in the round of 64.

The battle for World No. 2

The Italian Masters is pivotal in the fight for the ATP No. 2 ranking. Should Zverev falter in defending his title while Alcaraz advances to at least the semifinals, the young Spaniard will claim the second spot.

Securing the No. 2 ranking before Roland Garros is crucial, as it would allow Zverev to avoid facing World No. 1 Jannik Sinner until the final, providing a strategic advantage heading into the Grand Slam.