Alexander Zverev finally added another title to his collection as he claimed the Paris Masters. Though, this might be nothing more than a consolation for the German, as he eagerly eyes the elusive Grand Slam title. However, to do that, he has a big hurdle to overcome! Zverev needs to find a way to defeat not only Carlos Alcaraz but Jannik Sinner too. And it seems that the German is already setting the pace for next year, with a different practice regime. However, is there something special about Carlos Alcaraz that allows him to have the upper hand over Zverev? Zverev’s compatriot Tommy Haas thinks so.

Zverev, the 27-year-old, has been in top form this season, with a few hiccups here and there. He claimed the United Cup at the beginning of the year, the Italian Open, and the Paris Masters. In addition to these wins, Zverev finished as a runner-up at the Roland Garros, German Open,, and the semifinalist in several tournaments. However, he fell short on crucial occasions against some of the top players. One of them was Carlos Alcaraz, who ushered the German out in 2 of the 3 encounters they starred.

“Carlos Alcaraz is the player I like to watch the most. Carlos has the most attractive game at the moment. Sometimes he only loses because he has too many options.”– Tommy Haas remarked in an interview with Tennis Magazin on November 4, 2024.

Tommy Haas had a similar career graph to Alexander Zverev. He was an active tennis player from 1996 to 2017. The German fortunately or unfortunately battled the Big 3 among others in hopes of winning a Grand Slam. However, the attempts turned out to be unsuccessful. Despite winning 15 tournaments, and playing finals against the top players like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, and Jim Courier, a big win was nowhere in sight for Haas.

Meanwhile, Zverev has defeated three World No.1 players (Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Daniil Medvedev) on his way to his 22 titles. He has claimed the Olympic gold too, but the German has ended up only with a runner-up trophy at the Grand Slam level. While the struggles of both the German stars seem a bit similar, Haas instantly brushed away the question comparing him and Zverev.

Refusing the comparison, Haas praised Zverev for his achievements, as he said, “No. Alexander Zverev has already achieved much more as a player than I have. He is a big name in tennis, no question about it.” That’s not all. He further went on to analyze Zverev’s strength and the roadblocks on his way to a Grand Slam win. He added, “He is physically inhumanly good and mentally extremely strong. But there are three or four players in the world he can lose to if they all play at their top level.”

Zverev, in the meantime, has his targets locked for next season, as he undergoes a rigorous training regime even during the tournaments.

Is Alexander Zverev eyeing to dethrone Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the next season?

Despite a hectic season, Alexander Zverev has not opted for long breaks to rest and recover. He has headed to the courts to practice even in the middle of the tournaments. At Paris Masters, when he was asked about his motivation for his untiring efforts, Zverev said he was looking to catch up with Alcaraz and Sinner, as he strived to improve every day. “For me, it’s about improving a few things. I feel like, you know, Jannik and Carlos, you know, they are doing a few things better than me at the moment. I want to improve,” Zverev said.

The German star has the next season in his mind already. He further added, “I want to improve not for tomorrow, not for today or, you know, because of the matches I played here. I want to generally improve for next year as well. That’s the reason I do take this as a lot of practice here this week, and I want to improve my game for next year, as well.”

Hopefully, Alexander Zverev will rise from the ashes to claim the elusive Grand Slam next season. But as far as today goes, he is aiming to dethrone the two players, who would be defending their Grand Slam titles next season.