ATP Finals London: The changed world Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev is impressive in the mission title defense started at the ATP Finals. One reason for this is the new orientation away from the tennis court.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Nov 12, 2019, 10:47 am
On that day, just over four months ago, Alexander Zverev was also in London on a big tennis match. It was, however, one of the darkest days in his career, out in Wimbledon, southwest of the capital. Zverev had lost his first-round match at the season highlight of the traveling circus against the inconspicuous Czech Jiri Vesely, and then made the 22-year-old no secret that his world was in ruins. "Hard days" behind him in litigation with his ex-manager Patricio Apey, the Chilean make his life "as hard as possible," said Zverev, "that's abnormal. I have never experienced anything like that. "Two weeks later, another stroke of the neck followed, a long-term succession of Wimbledon, so to speak, when Ivan Lendl quit the service to the young German. A far-flung season, left by the super coach, drama on and off the center court - the splendor of the 2018 World Cup title had not left much in those cold summertime.
Meanwhile, Zverev's world has changed radically again. It's not always easy to feel the results and fix it, after all, the World Champion romped and jerked on through his engagements on the tennis tour, also in the fall. The biggest upheaval took place literally silently, because it has become much quieter around Zverev again, there are no more coaching debates, no theater for contracts and millions of settlements. And maybe it's this quietness in the infamous setting that inspires Zverev on a mission that has been his most-coveted attention for a long time: appearing at the World Tour finals in London, at the unofficial World Cup - where he can defend his surprise title.
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Nadal without a chance
And, above all, wants to defend: How much Zverev strives for a repeat of the 2018 coup, how much he wants to bring about a conciliatory final moment of this complex season, was the first to feel the very first of the world rankings. Anyway, on Tuesday night Rafael Nadal, the Spanish matador, did not stand a chance against the sudden brilliance of Zverev - the Hamburg player played flawlessly in a 6-2, 6-4 victory on offense and defensive, and did not miss a single beakball as a strong supporter. That Zverev, who in the troubled times in Sommner had fabricated up to 20 double faults in some matches. "Great," Zverev now called his performance, "there was almost everything." He also made the impression of a man who has nothing to think about but his tennis - focused on the real, on ways and strategies to defeat his counterpart.
Zverev's appearance in the public sphere has recently been determined by his new management agency, Team8, in every respect. Team8 is the company that founded Roger Federer and his agent Tony Godsick, the 8 in the company name plays on the favorite number eight by Federer, born on 8 August Maestro. Zverev is present in the new Liasion on the one hand present in the large, wide media world, he now has accounts on Twitter and Facebook. At the same time, everything about the external presentation looks sharper, more professional and less controversial. Even though Zverev is not fit for the "Younger Statesman", that would be a fundamentally wrong position for him as well. But Zverev sometimes seems a bit "Federeresk", with rather polished statements or colorful-happy actions in the social media. Coincidence is not, but clear strategy of Godsick, the business owner of Grandmaster Federer and now also Zverev.
Federer and Zverev remain competitors
Of course, Federer and Zverev are still competitors in the tennis arena, every now and then they meet on smaller or more prominent stages. But Team8 now and again creates situations in which Zverev can hope for Kolleteralgewinn, as a junior partner of Federer. At the Laver Cup, for example, when Federer gives Zverev a kind of secondary coach and whips him to the decisive victory point in a duel with the rest of the world. Or, even more, in the upcoming show bouts by Federer and Zverev in South America and China. Zverev will soon be ending his season with Federer, and he will start his season again with Federer at the end of December in Guanghzou. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved in Team8, but most of all for Zverev, who will soon be the most important client. Namely, when Roger Federer has entered well-deserved retirement.
Whether Zverev can even go as an old and new world champion in the South American tour and then in the short season break? In his preliminary round group, he could already lay the foundation stone for the semi-final defeat with another victory against the Greek Tsitsipas on Wednesday - it would be a considerable success after the turbulence of recent months. But also, in Zverev's estimation, only an interim goal: "When I play my best tennis, it will be hard for me."