On Sunday, Alexander Zverev faced Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final, and for a moment, it seemed like something strange was happening. To put things into perspective, going into that match, the head-to-head was 10-4 in favor of the Italian. That margin included a nine-match winning streak in which Zverev had not won even a single set in the previous six matches and only two sets in the entirety of that streak.
Moreover, on the back of a below-par period following a second-round exit at the French Open, Sinner had looked somewhat back to his impervious best in an executioner-style effective dismantling of Novak Djokovic in the semifinal. With all of that in mind, understandably, normal service was expected in the latest match-up between the pair of Sinner and Zverev.
Only that it wasn’t normal service.
Alexander Zverev vs Jannik Sinner
The Serve Bot
What unfolded can only be described as a serving clinic from Alexander Zverev. In the first set, he was raining down serves at over 130mph. His second serve for large parts of the match, and especially in the first two sets, was essentially a first serve disguised as a second serve. It was a ruthless display of first-strike tennis that ensured that Sinner, who has been the best returner on tour for a while now, fashioned only one breakpoint opportunity, which was duly erased.
Ultimately, the German made 79% of his first serves and 89% of his second serves in the first set alone, while offering speeds that made one’s head wobble. It all culminated in a first-set tiebreak win for the German, who didn’t drop a single point on serve.
If the first set serving numbers were astonishing, the second set even went up a notch higher, as it seemed the German, now infused with real belief, was belting down the ball with even more conviction. His serve numbers went up to 85% and 100% for first and second serves, respectively.
Sinner, to his credit, held on remarkably as well on serve as the second set arrived in another tiebreaker without both players as much as offering a breakpoint to the other. This time out, Zverev, while serving, faltered on the very first point of the tiebreak. Sinner raced into a 4-0 lead and never really looked back from there as he took the second set. The World No. 1 pushed on from there, breaking once in the subsequent sets to take the match and the championship.
However, Zverev’s performance left many wondering whether this might now be what to expect in their matchups going forward or if we were simply witnessing a flash in the pan. There was no doubt that the German was buoyed by having finally won his maiden Grand Slam.
That he had also reached his first Wimbledon final whilst beating another player along the way, Taylor Fritz, whom he had previously struggled with, must have inspired him. That much was clear with the way he started the match, and one wonders what could have happened if he had somehow managed to clinch the second set. Because one thing was certain, this was a different Zverev we were watching all tournament long.
The Wimbledon Factor
Those looking not to get ahead of themselves may point to this improved outing as being more down to the surface, where an admittedly more spirited Zverev, riding the wave of his first Slam, was getting more out of his usual strikes owing to the grass surface, and strikes tend to skid off it faster. However, that would only take into account a small part of what he showed during the fortnight.
The German was noticeably hitting his forehand bigger. In the final, he averaged a forehand speed of 89mph, which for him is completely new territory. His movement on the grass was impeccable. But perhaps the greatest switch was in the mindset.
Previously, the German had been accused of holding back too often in the big moments, but throughout the tournament, he was committed to going big on almost everything.
He was approaching the net more. He was committed to going for his shots even if he got a few wrong. There was hardly any hesitation or attempts to dial back the aggression or revert to his conservative type, which he is so often accused of. And for at least the first two-and-a-half sets, he ran Sinner really close.
Doing that against the most consistent player, point by point, across the entire tour, is no mean feat and certainly points to a step in the right direction. As previously pointed out, a moment here or there, and Zverev could have very well won the second set. And all this coming from a player who had only previously made it as far as the fourth round at Wimbledon, is certainly encouraging and not something to be sniffed at.
https://youtube.com/shorts/9SlD1pGZDuI?si=MB_oOroMpmP9Jb2j
The Hard Court Reality
However, the rude reality is that any steps forward Zverev may have made in his specific matchup with Sinner can only be confirmed as we head into the North American hard-court swing. This is the surface, after all, where Sinner is at his very best and where you’d expect to see more exchanges from the back of the court, where the Italian is so rock-solid.
Also, while serves will play a big part, it’s less likely to factor as much as it did at Wimbledon. Furthermore, with the majority of the tour being played on hardcourts anyway, it means that if Zverev is to begin swinging the head-to-head his way, what he can achieve on this surface will prove most decisive.
Fortunately for him, he is likely to get many chances to test himself against Sinner, as Carlos Alcaraz continues his rehabilitation towards fitness, and Djokovic, at his age, continues to pick his tournaments carefully. It means that the pair of them will be seeded one and two in any tournaments they both enter, meaning Zverev will not just get his chances, but will certainly get them in the biggest matches with titles on the line.
Being able not just to get one over Sinner but also to secure a title in the process is exactly the kind of motivation the German desperately craves. The ATP race to Turin shows them as by far and away the most in-form players, and while that mostly holds based on results, their match-ups tell a whole different story. A story that Zverev so desperately needs to change, you feel, if he’s to win more of the biggest trophies.
As always, time will tell!
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
