Alexander Zverev has revealed how Roger Federer changed his mentality on the tennis court.
Zverev is adamant he can usurp Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and finally win his debut Grand Slam title.
World No. 3 Zverev is widely considered the best player to never win a Grand Slam, having lost three finals at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and the US Open.
The star explained how Roger Federer inspired him after his latest win at the Canadian Open against Alexei Popyrin.
Alexander Zverev says Roger Federer has inspired new, calm persona
Zverev was once known as a volatile hot-head on court, often destroying many a racket during his matches.
Speaking at the Canadian Open after his victory over Popyrin, Zverev said that it helped him overcome the Australian.
“Some time ago, I would have smashed a racket after the first set, but I have not done so in three and a half years, and it will continue to be that way,” said Zverev.
The German said becoming a father, as well as seeing the way Federer changed his attitude as a youngster, made him make the decision.
“In a way, Federer has been an inspiration for making this change,” explained Zverev. “Seeing how he lost his temper when he was young and then became absolute perfection made me make this decision.”
Zverev plays Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals as he looks to build the perfect momentum heading into the US Open.
Alexander Zverev has already improved on 2024 performance at Canadian Open
Zverev is in a funny place in the ATP Tour rankings at World No. 3 as he’s very unlikely to move either way, such is the difference in points between third and second and third and fourth.
Nevertheless, Zverev has already improved on his performance at the 2024 Canadian Open, where he crashed out in the quarter-finals.
The star lost to Sebastian Korda last year, before going on to reach the semi-finals at the following tournament, the Cincinnati Open.
With so many top stars missing from both tournaments, Zverev has the perfect opportunity to head into the US Open in the best possible way.