Zverev Aiming To Carry Momentum Into US Open
Alexander Zverev is feeling confident ahead of the US Open as he arrives in New York on an 11-match winning streak.
The fourth seed captured the Tokyo Olympics gold medal in the beginning of August, before winning his fifth ATP Masters 1000 crown at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati last week. The German is hoping to carry his form into the final major of the year.
“It has been a pretty incredible month for me,” Zverev said in his pre-tournament press conference. “Obviously winning the gold medal is something that you don’t even dream about as a tennis player because it’s just so surreal in a way.
“It’s incredible. I mean, the feeling that gave me, and also the Cincinnati week has been pretty good. I feel well. I hope I continue this wave here in New York and we’ll see how it goes.”
Zverev enjoyed a run to the championship match at the US Open last year and came within two points of capturing his first major trophy, falling to Austrian Dominic Thiem in the fifth-set tie-break. The 17-time tour-level titlist believes that experience will give him further motivation at Flushing Meadows this year.
“I think in a way it fuelled gas into the fire a little bit because I was two points away from winning it,” Zverev said. “I practised on centre court now a few times. There are still memories there. I still remember it, and I still have that in the back of my mind.
“I’m very motivated. I’m very much looking forward to getting back on that court and starting to compete because I was not far away last year. I feel like I’m playing great tennis this year”
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will be targeting a record-breaking 21st major in the next fortnight at the US Open as he aims to become just the second male player in the Open Era alongside Rod Laver to complete the Grand Slam. His two closest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, are not competing in New York due to injuries.
Despite their absence, Zverev, who faces American Sam Querrey in the first round, thinks he along with other top five stars such as Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas can provide the fans with entertaining matches at Flushing Meadows.
“I think the Cincinnati tournament, other tournaments this year, showed the competition and the rivalry that we have with the younger guys,” Zverev added. “I think the Top five guys with Medvedev, Tsitsipas, myself, Rublev and Berrettini, we’re having great battles, we’re having very entertaining matches.
“I think a lot of tennis fans are also looking forward to those matchups. I think in the future this will be no different. I think in major finals and major semi-finals, those matchups will [happen] more often and [be] more common. I think it’s also exciting to watch that.”