Alexander Zverev Aiming for Olympics with Angelique Kerber

During the press conference at the Australian Open Alexander Zverev was asked if he is considering playing mixed doubles on a more kind of regular basis in the slams or Olympics. The world No. 4 paired up with Angelique Kerber at the Hopman Cup in the last years and both times they lost to Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic in a mixed doubles match for the title.

‘That’s the best question I’ve gotten as a first question ever‘, said Zverev smiling. ‘In Olympics, I probably will, with Angie hopefully. But, no, not in tournaments. Because Olympics you play for a gold medal.

You play for not only yourself but your country. An Olympic gold medal, doesn’t matter what discipline you get it in, it’s a gold medal. As tennis players, Grand Slams, especially the singles players, we want to win in singles, not anything else really.’

Zverev also reiterated that he will play the Davis Cup tie against Hungary in Germany on February 1 and 2, but he will not compete in the final stage. ‘I actually played all the Davis Cups in the last few years. I think I qualify on that regards.

I still will not play in November because in November, in that time, I am in the Maldives in the sun, not playing Davis Cup.’ Zverev is upbeat about the expectations people put on him: ‘I always enjoy playing. I always enjoy competing, playing the sport that I love.

There’s always a lot of pressure to it, always the question of, When are you going to win a Grand Slam? I came to London before, and I wasn’t playing my best. I lost to Khachanov 6-2, 6-1. I lost to other guys. I really wasn’t playing well.

I came to London saying, Look, it’s the last tournament of the year, we’re all tired, you want to go on holidays. I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I’m playing the best players in the world, I’m going to see how it goes.

At the end of the week, I won the tournament. I kind of learned out of that. I kind of figured out I have to have the same mentality when I play at slams. I hope I can achieve that.’