It wasn’t meant to be for Alexander Zverev, as once again, he came so close, but the 27-year-old couldn’t seize it. The 2025 Australian Open final also went by, as Sinner proved too strong for German in 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 thumping on January 26. How could it slip away again? From the start, Zverev’s forehand let him down, and frustration built and even when he battled to a tiebreak in the second set, Zverev couldn’t close the deal—losing 7-4. In the third set, as Sinner pushed ahead, Zverev seemed drained, and the game slipped from his grasp. When would it be his time? Another Grand Slam escaped him, and the question lingers: When will Zverev break through?

However, the German inspite of the pain and the trauma, sported a hilarious take in his latest Instagram story today, a day after finals loss. Recently, he shared a lighthearted moment with his fans through a candid Instagram story. The photo, taken in a blue-lit airplane cabin, reveals a cheeky selfie of the German tennis star with Jannik Sinner who is sitting behind him. He adds a playful caption: “Well at least I’m ahead of him this time 😂😂,” tagging Jannik Sinner.

What may seem like cheeky humor—Zverev’s third Grand Slam final defeat—is the bitter truth of an athlete chasing an elusive dream and his fate now mirrors that of Ons Jabeur and Dinara Safina, both of whom endured multiple Grand Slam final appearances, yet never claimed the ultimate prize. The sting of his third runner-up finish in a major is deeply felt; that began in 2020, when a young Dominic Thiem—after five excruciating sets—defeated Zverev at the US Open, winning 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6(8–6).

Zverev had it in his grasp! The German was holding championship point but later to see his dream to slip away. A two-set lead erased. Thiem’s resilience earned him his first and only Grand Slam, while Zverev, in the background, had to settle for second place.

After then there was a procession of Semifinals appearance for Germans, but then the moment under the sun came for him, when he made it to Roland Garros Finals in 2024, where the 2021 Tokyo Gold medalist was left in tears once again, this time succumbing to Carlos Alcaraz!

Zverev had chance after Carlos Alcaraz was controversially overruled on a vital second serve, which took away a break from Zverev. Still, could that have made a difference? Only God knows! The fifth set slipped away, leaving Zverev hung up on ‘what-ifs.’ And now, in Melbourne, top-seed Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open title in straight sets.

Zverev is not alone in this agonizing search for a Grand Slam title. And his post-match speech, filled with raw emotion, left a mark but a former American pro voiced his disagreement to something he said.

John Isner disagrees with Alexander Zverev’s post-defeat comment

For Zverev, the loss might have chipped away at the confidence, and this time, his frustration spilled out publicly in a moment that ignited conversation across the tennis world. “I am just not good enough. I don’t know if I will ever be able to lift the trophy, but I will keep trying,” Zverev admitted in his post-match speech, his tone steeped in self-doubt. While the remark’s final note of determination struck a hopeful chord, its beginning drew criticism from some quarters.

Former world top no. 8 player John Isner took issue with Zverev’s remarks. Speaking on the Nothing Major Podcast, Isner remarked on the post-match embrace and Zverev’s self-critical speech, expressing his concerns about its tone.

“Did you see the embrace after the match? I’m sure everyone has seen it,” Isner began. “Sascha was crying a bit into Sinner’s arms. That was tough to see. Sascha’s quote after the match, and this is a tough one to read out, was, ‘I am just not good enough. I don’t know if I will ever be able to lift the trophy, but I will keep trying.’ I like the end of that quote, I didn’t love the beginning. Obviously, it was still fresh in his memory.” 

Isner continued by reflecting on how Zverev had handled earlier major disappointments. “I think in the previous Slam finals, it didn’t seem like the pressure of the moment got to him. This one, it maybe did. I thought after he lost the French Open final, as heartbreaking as that was, he recovered very well from it, especially the latter half of the year. It will be interesting to see how Sascha recovers from this.”

But For Alexander Zverev, the journey is far from over! With three more Grand Slams remaining this year, could this finally be the season where he breaks through? It’s not an impossible dream—just ask Andy Murray. The Scot endured his own share of heartbreak, losing four major finals before finally lifting his first Grand Slam trophy at the 2012 US Open.