Madison Keys’ Mindset of ‘Letting Go’ Touted as a Lesson for Alexander Zverev by Former ATP Star

Alexander Zverev’s pursuit of a Grand Slam title suffered another heartbreaking setback at the Australian Open, as he fell to Jannik Sinner in straight sets: 3-6, 6-7(4), 3-6. This marked his third appearance in a Major final and his second in just seven months. Despite showcasing flashes of brilliance, including a brief comeback in the second set, Zverev remains winless in Grand Slam finals. This loss adds to his previous heartbreaks in the 2020 US Open and the 2024 French Open.

Zverev’s journey to the Australian Open final was impressive, as he cruised through opponents like Lucas Pouille, Pedro Martinez, Jacob Fearnley, Ugo Humbert, and Tommy Paul, and even defeated Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. However, despite his remarkable run, the elusive Grand Slam title once again slipped through his fingers. His near-miss in the 2020 US Open final, where he led 2-0 against Dominic Thiem, only amplifies the emotional weight Zverev carries when competing in high-stakes matches.

Although Zverev has accomplished much in his career—securing multiple ATP titles, an Olympic gold medal in 2021, and reaching a career-high ranking of world No.2—the one missing piece remains a Grand Slam title. Reflecting on Zverev’s ongoing struggle, former American tennis professional Steve Johnson, during an episode of his Nothing Major podcast, discussed the psychological barriers that might be holding Zverev back from winning a Slam.

He said, “For me, I think he needs to take some of Madi’s [Madison Key] advice and let go. Like he is such a good tennis player. He is good enough to win slams. I think he is a bit burned by the fact that he hasn’t won one and that holds a lot of stress, a lot of weight. I know that’s what held me back, my whole career, you know. But he’s gotta just let go because he can play these tennis matches where he is just absolutely incredible.”

Johnson pointed to Keys’ breakthrough at the same tournament as a potential blueprint for Zverev’s success. Keys, after her triumph, revealed in her post-match interview that shedding the pressure of not having won a Grand Slam was key to her victory. Johnson elaborated further, “And in the final, it just felt as if watching it, there was a little wait on his shoulders that was just like hey like this could be another day where all people are gonna talk like, how I can’t win one of these or haven’t won one of these. Only he and his team can get himself to the position to believe in himself in those moments, and I think unfortunately until he does it in a slam final, there is no practicing that.”

This mental barrier may be the reason Zverev struggles in the closing stages of finals, where the stakes are at their highest. Johnson added, “He just has to keep putting himself in those positions as many times as possible. As cliche as it sounds, just keep knocking at the door, and eventually, it’s gonna open. He’s gotta, he just has to let go in those big moments and slam finals. I think he is gonna be back, and I do think he will get one at some point.”

Being a Grand Slam title winner and being the world no. 1 is the only thing he’s missing from his records. Amidst the setbacks, Alexander Zverev has made it clear that he wasn’t good enough, but is determined to secure a Grand Slam Title and avoid being remembered as the greatest player to never win one.

Zverev admits he wasn’t “Good Enough” despite his team’s efforts

Alexander Zverev’s loss against Sinner highlighted a recurring issue in his career. His barrage of coming up and delivering his absolute best tennis in the Grand Slam finals. In the post-match interview, Zverev admitted that, despite his team’s relentless efforts, he wasn’t “good enough” to overcome Sinner. “My team, I mean, we’re trying to do all the right work. I’m just not good enough. It’s as simple as that. But I really appreciate what everybody has done over the last few years,” Zverev admitted.

Although Zverev still leads Sinner 4-3 in their head-to-head encounters, Sinner’s commanding performance at Rod Laver Arena has narrowed the gap against the world No. 2. He was also doing well when the match began with both players evenly poised at 3-3, until Sinner took the full control, winning the first set by 6-3 after an hour.

The resilience from Zverev seemed clear in the second set, forcing a tie-break, yet losing the set 7-6(4). Then, the third set mirrored the first set and Sinner took the title from Zverev’s hand. While he acknowledged failing short in Melbourne, his continued efforts and willingness to be better and learn from setbacks could eventually lead to success.

For Zverev, embracing the mindset of letting go, as practiced by Madison Keys, may be the key to finally lifting the coveted trophy, until then, the tennis world will keep watching him closely. What do you think? Can Zverev clinch the big one in the future? Tell us in the comment section!