Roger Federer bluntly explains why Alexander Zverev won't win a Grand Slam title
Alexander Zverev fell short on his Grand Slam quest at the US Open earlier this month.
Roger Federer has told Alexander Zverev that he won't win a Grand Slam tennis title unless he plays more offensively. Zverev has lost in two finals and two semi-finals over the course of his career and he currently sits second in the ATP's world rankings.
There was more frustration for the German at the US Open two-and-a-half weeks ago, as his strong run to the quarter-finals was put to an end by Taylor Fritz. Federer has since been asked for his take on why Zverev is struggling to make that final step towards a major crown.
"I'm not his coach, so I can speak freely," said the Swiss, according to Bluewin. "To win a Grand Slam, you have to play far more offensively. The title doesn’t just come to you.
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"When I watch him play, I see someone who plays far too passively, far too defensively in the decisive moments. Against the best players in the world you have to take the initiative and play offensively. He didn't do that against Fritz.
"There's not much missing. But to win a Grand Slam you have to trust your shots and play more offensively. He has to believe in this path. Every cell in your body has to feel that this is the only right way. The title doesn't just come to you, especially not the first one."
Zverev responded to Federer's comments ahead of his bid for glory with Team Europe at the Laver Cup, which starts today (Friday) in Berlin.
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"That's nothing I don't know," he said. "It's absolutely clear to me that I didn't play the way I wanted to play. That was a terrible game from me. That's why it's completely okay what Roger said."
Zverev will hope to continue his solid form in his Laver Cup opener - a doubles match alongside Carlos Alcaraz. Coming up against Fritz on the other side of the net, who partners Ben Shelton, will give him the chance to avenge his US Open loss.
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And Zverev intends on taking the competition seriously. "Everyone here is motivated to win," he explained. "If it wasn't a serious tournament, we wouldn't practice two, three hours per day and prepare ourselves the way we did.
"The best players in the world are all there and on the same team. You don't want to let them down. Normally you sit in the locker room and want to beat every opponent and suddenly they are your team-mates. That's pretty special. It's the only tournament in the world where you have five top-10 players as your team-mates."
