Alexander Zverev is stuck in a Grand Slam slump. The German star has spent years chasing that elusive major title, only to come up short every time. He has reached three finals across three different Slams, but the trophy remains out of reach. His latest heartbreak came at the start of the year when Jannik Sinner denied him in straight sets at the Australian Open.

That loss hit hard. Zverev was visibly crushed during the post-match presentation, admitting, “I’m just not good enough.” It was a painful moment for the 27-year-old who has done everything right but still can’t break through. Even former US Open champion Andy Roddick sympathized with his situation.

On his podcast ‘Served’, Roddick and four-time major winner Kim Clijsters discussed Zverev’s predicament. To illustrate the mental toll of falling short at the highest level, Roddick laid out a striking analogy.

The former World No.1 said, “You’re anywhere around the world, the best of the best of the best of what you do are in one place, right? And you know you’re good at something, but all of a sudden, you see people come and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen this person do this thing that well.’ And it’s just amazing. And then imagine you winning that competition for two weeks and then losing to one person, and people going, ‘Well, f**k, that’s a failure.’ That’s a weird place to be. And that’s kind of where Zev is now, like we were talking about before on air. And I hate the position for him because he’s professional, he’s always fit, he does all the things that you would want or expect a top player to do.”

The frustration is real. Zverev has been one step away from glory three times now. His first big chance came in 2020 at the US Open when he led Dominic Thiem by two sets before losing in a heartbreaking five-setter. Four years later, he battled Carlos Alcaraz in a grueling Roland Garros final but fell short once again. Then came the latest setback in Melbourne against Sinner, who breezed past him in straight sets.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for someone who has climbed to World No. 2. Zverev has joined a small group of players—Alex Corretja, Magnus Norman, Tommy Haas, Marcelo Rios, and Casper Ruud—who reached that ranking but never won a Slam. It’s not the kind of list he wants to be on.

But his opponent Jannik Sinner still thinks he can lift a title ‘very soon.’

Jannik Sinner shows confidence in Alexander Zverev

All hope is not lost. History shows that persistence can pay off. Andy Murray lost four major finals before finally breaking through. The same could still happen for Zverev.

Even Jannik Sinner believes in him. After securing his third Grand Slam title in Melbourne, the World No. 1 had words of encouragement for his opponent.

The Italian tennis star said, “A tough day for you and your whole team, your family. You have an incredible team behind you. You are an amazing player. Keep believing in yourself because I think we all players and everyone involved in this sport knows how strong you are as a player but also as a person so keep it up, keep working hard. We all believe that you can lift this (AO title) very soon. (I) Wish you only the best.”

It was a touching moment. Sinner didn’t just stop at words—he also consoled a visibly emotional Zverev on the court after the match. For now, the hunt for a maiden Slam continues. The World No. 2 doesn’t want to go down as “the best player never to win a Grand Slam.”

Alexander Zverev still has time to change that. Can he finally get over the line and establish himself as a Grand Slam champion?