Alexander Zverev has been tantalizingly close to tasting the ultimate glory in tennis. Yet, time and again, the German No. 1 has seen his dreams slip through his fingers. Despite being ranked 4th in the world, a Grand Slam has remained just out of reach, teasing him at every crucial stage. This season has been no different. He’s fought his way to the brink, only to be met with heartbreak instead of the victory he has been chasing. So, what’s holding Zverev back?

The 27-year-old has himself reflected upon the factors that have been stopping him from winning big in slams. The August 15th episode of A Bis Z Alexander, along with his brother Mischa Zverev, welcomed soccer players Breel Embolo and Ismail Jakobs. Discussing in the podcast, the German tennis sensation talked about his chances in Grand Slams and confessed a drawback that is keeping him away from winning a title.

Speaking in the interview, Zverev said, “I often play like a complete idiot for five hours against players I don’t have to play against for five hours.” Continuing further, he seemed to take a furious dig at himself. “I’m an expert at that,” he said in German. Interestingly, the trends that he has depicted lately align well with his remarks. 

Zverev was on an impeccable run at the French Open and reached the finals of the tournament, before eventually losing to Carlos Alcaraz. But one of the spotlights of his run were the three five-setter matches that he played at the tournament. Two of these matches came against players who are ranked far below him. Against Tallon Griekspoor in the third round, Zverev was placed comfortably after he won the second and third sets. While he could have easily won the match in the next set, the clash was pushed to the fifth set and finally concluded in four hours and 13 minutes. Remember, Griekspoor is ranked 41. A similar scene unfolded in Zverev’s subsequent match as well. 

The German sensation had to fight extensively against Holger Rune to win the fourth-round. Rune forced the star player to play a five-setter that lasted for 4 hours and 40 minutes. The match was eventually concluded at 1:40 am CET. Such matches would have indeed created physical fatigue for Zverev, thereby impacting his match against Alcaraz in the finals, which was also played in five sets! Similar scenes unfolded for the 2020 US Open runner-up at Wimbledon as well. 

Playing against Taylor Fritz in the fourth round, Zverev was well-placed after winning the first two sets. But he eventually lost the next three sets in a match that lasted almost four hours. What remains to be seen is whether Zverev can win big at the US Open amidst this adversity.

Can Zverev reverse his fate at the US Open?

The German tennis sensation has depicted incredible form this season. While he has failed to win a Grand Slam, the records that he created this year can not be ignored. Zverev began the North American swing at the Canadian Open, where he advanced to the quarterfinals. The star player is looking relentless at the Cincinnati Masters as well, where he has won two matches already and will be facing Ben Shelton in the next round. But more than his ongoing campaign, his latest feat is worth noting.

Zverev became the first player this season to earn 50 tour-level wins on Thursday at the Cincinnati Open. He defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-2 for an opening win at the ATP Masters 1000 event to secure the record. This is not the first time when he has achieved this milestone. He won over 50 matches in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023 as well.

As the season progresses, it would be interesting to see if his form and winning streak help him perform bigger at the US Open, where he will be taking another shot at a Grand Slam title.