Alexander Zverev - The King of Cologne is nearing top form
After his two triumphs in Cologne, Alexander Zverev goes into the upcoming tasks in Paris and London with great self-confidence.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Oct 26, 2020, 09:29 pm
Irina Zverev has adequately explored the streets and paths around Cologne's Lanxess Arena in the last few days. Whenever her son Alexander marched on the Center Court, the hyper-nervous mom and family poodle Lövik fled into the vicinity of the playground. On Sunday evening, however, the date of the second Cologne final, the former world-class player could have safely stayed in the hall - the superiority of her youngest on the home straight against the actually uncomfortable fighter type Diego Schwartzman was too great. “She just can't see it live. It costs them too much strength, ”said Zverev, who had saved the best of his two-week mission under the cathedral for the 6: 2, 6: 1 victory. The renewed victory was ultimately "almost perfect", according to Zverev: "I'm close to finding top form."
There is no question about it: the 23-year-old from Hamburg managed to turn things around in a complicated, challenging year in tennis. After the trials and tribulations that accompanied Zverev's personal restart in the spring - especially on the chaotic Adriatic tour - he is now one of the bigger winners of a turbulent, often unpredictable season. Tennis in Corona times remains a ghostly affair, Cologne made no exception with the ghost backdrop and applause recordings from the tape - but Zverev has learned to come to terms with the new world of his sport sensibly and objectively.
Revenge against Sinner
Also in the knowledge that the tennis microcosm will not change anytime soon against the background of the worsening health crisis. "I take it as it is," says Zverev succinctly. And so, for two and a half weeks, he conformed to the conditions in Cologne, to the enforced monotony of life between the hotel and the arena. From bubble to bubble it will also go on for the seventh in the world rankings, any freedoms are not possible with the upcoming engagements at the Paris Masters and the London ATP finals.
Zverev finds the kick he needs in the face-to-face duels on the Center Court, he doesn't have to "train to himself" without specific goals, as in the spring. His annual balance sheet after the restart in late summer now reads very well, albeit that conceivable maximum price, the Grand Slam victory in New York, did not materialize. Before the start of the two weeks of the tournament at home, Zverev said that the missed coup in the Big Apple is still “very busy”, sometimes he thinks about it 20, 25 times a day. But the double in Cologne now offers him the opportunity to look at the past working hours in a far more forgiving way. It is a "great feeling to go away unbeaten here," said Zverev after eight wins against some strong competition. With Schwartzman, he also outclassed a top ten competitor in the last meters of his successful run, the day before Zverev had also taken revenge against the South Tyrolean Jannik Sinner for the recent French Open defeat. He also dealt with severe hip pain, a non-problem for him: "I'll have to break my leg before I give up."
The next bubble is waiting in Paris
The self-confidence and natural authority that Zverev exuded in his entire appearance in Cologne also stamp him as a favorite for the last major title of the season in the 02-Arena in London - when the eight best of 2020 come together there in mid-November. For Zverev, things could come full circle there. In 2018 he won the prestigious final tournament, with victories over Federer and Djokovic on the final weekend. Months of ups and downs followed, with changes of coach, with personal and public doubts. Now Zverev comes back to the O2 Palace with a grown stature, grown up and more mature in the other reality of these days. Ultimately, he has firmly established himself among the world's best, a man who leads to the title at every tournament. “I'm going into the next weeks and months with a good feeling,” says Zverev. The King of Cologne can soon also be the King elsewhere.