Alexander ‘Sascha’ Zverev had an amazing season in 2024. He started the year strong and maintained a similar energy throughout the calendar. The German star even reached the final of the French Open before eventually bowing out to Carlos Alcaraz. Zverev added two more tour-level titles to his resume in the last season. He emerged victorious at the Italian Open and lifted the season-ending Paris Masters, earning him a cool 1000 ATP points. The German sensation’s noteworthy performance posted him as a daunting challenge for rivals on the tour. A month after Zverev finished as the semifinalist at the ATP Finals in Turin, Andy Roddick discussed Sascha’s strengths and the areas he can work on.

During an episode on the ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast alongside Jon Wertheim, the former US Open champion highlighted how Zverev’s massive improvement in service helped him welcome better results this season, despite falling to winning a Major against Spaniard Alcaraz in Paris.

Roddick said, “The most efficient server in tennis right now serving 75% some odd for the year. I mean it’s a joke how he’s become the most efficient server that he can possibly be. Can he take the ball a little earlier on 2nd server turns? Can he serve in volley a bit? Those little things might matter, right? Roland Garros this year, he was a set away from winning a Major again, a set away up two sets and had the momentum against Alcaraz. Didn’t play badly in the last two sets by the way. I’m not going to criticize someone and pretend like they haven’t accomplished a lot because they haven’t accomplished the thing.”

However, Zverev isn’t happy for the time being. He is battling elbow discomfort and has lamented the ATP for adding more trouble to his injury.

Alexander Zverev blasts ATP for causing injuries due to ‘dead balls’

The ATP was consistently under fire from players throughout the 2024 season. While on one hand, star players like Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas lamented the tour’s hectic scheduling, players like Daniil Medvedev and Stan Wawrinka criticized the tour for changing the quality of balls used. And now, German Alexander Zverev has joined the list.

While nursing an elbow issue, Sascha indicated that the ‘low-grade’ balls used on the tour added to his injury. After winning his opening act at the United Cup, he told the reporters: “It’s quite sore. I’m working on it every day. It’s just what it is. I think the balls are not helping. They’re dead. We’ve been having this discussion for I don’t know how long. A lot of players nowadays have elbow issues, wrist issues, because that kind of subject, which wasn’t the case maybe 15, 20 years ago, or 10 years ago when I started.”

Jogging up to the latest update, Zverev has pulled out of the United Cup due to a bicep strain, jeopardizing his appearance at the upcoming Australian Open, slated to commence on January 12, 2025.