The German team is well prepared around Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lenard Struff for the ATP Cup in Melbourne. Above all, Zverev has a lot of planning after his disappointing performance last year.
Alexander Zverev thought for a moment, then set a very clear personal goal. “Last year I didn’t win a match in the ATP Cup, just got a set. It wasn’t enough from my side, it has to do better this time,” Germany’s top player ahead of the season opener in Melbourne next week. Zverev thinks “I can play fine when I’m in good shape”.
Zverev: “I worked hard during the break”
And he insisted on it, the 23-year-old, who competes in the ATP Cup in doubles with Jan-Leander Struff and two-time French Open winner Kevin Cratiz / Andreas Miz. Zverev said that the world’s number one player Novak Djokovic and Canada, along with Denis Shapovalov, the group’s rival Serbia, is not necessary, but: “I worked very hard during the break and worked very hard,” I think I did all that Did something I could do. As prepared as possible to start the season. “
It starts at the ATP Cup in Melbourne (2 to 6 February) and continues until the Australian Open (8 to 21 February). Zverev believes that the first Grand Slam tournament of the year allows 30,000 visitors a day at Melbourne Park. In general, he believes the organizers in Melbourne did “a great job” in the Australian tennis summer – with one exception: “Players in Adelaide have more training periods in Melbourne and more freedom than those in Melbourne was.” Think that the organizers had made a mistake. “
Novak Djokovic, French Open record winner Rafael Nadal (Spain) and US Open champion Dominique Thiem (Austria) prepared for the first Grand Slam tournament of the year in Adelaide. Unlike the players in Melbourne, who had to go into a 14-day quarantine after their arrival, Adelaide allowed the top stars almost unlimited access to the training ground and more freedom to spend free time.
Misha Jewarev: “It’s a little like playing lottery”
After the quarantine ends, it can now start on the Australian hard court, on which the German team has already shed some sweat. “We trained well,” said Zverev’s older brother Misha, who was responsible for the ATP Cup for the first time as a team boss on the German bench. The 33-year-old is “looking forward to a tough week, it’s hard to predict how individuals will perform. It’s like playing the lottery, anything is possible.”
In a short video clip on Eurosport, the Zverev brothers gave an insight into their last evening in quarantine. There was food from aluminum bowls, extra ribs, fries with mayo – and a mango. Misha claimed, “Sasha had already thrown me.” Until the first match in the ATP Cup on Wednesday (00.00 watch / sky) The collision against Canada will certainly go away.
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