Alexander Zverev is in a sensational form in the ATP Finals. After registering three consecutive wins in his group, the German tennis star is now in the semis. But he’s not letting the victories distract him from working hard. His goal is to practice and become perfect through a unique post-match ritual which seems to be helping him a lot. Interestingly, this new-found change is deeply connected to Swiss Maestro Roger Federer’s impact on Zverev, according to former American pro Jim Courier.

Back in September, after the US Open, Roger Federer had commented on Alexander Zverev’s performance at the Flushing Meadows. The 27-year-old couldn’t get past Taylor Fritz in the QF round and lost eventually. After this match, Roger gave an honest opinion on the German player while criticizing his style of play. In an interview with Bluewin, dated September 18th, he said, “When I watch him play, I see someone who plays far too passively, far too defensively in the decisive moments.” He said that Zverev needs to play offensively on a frequent basis. Seems like Zverev took notes and implemented them in the form of his post-match rituals at the ATP Finals where he can be seen perfecting his aggressive shots. After every match, he’s tried to work on himself and improve as much as possible.

In an episode of the Tennis Channel podcast, dated November 16th, former ATP player Jim Courier brought up Roger Federer’s constructive criticism of Zverev while admiring his current playing style. “I know that Roger Federer had some constructive criticism after the US Open said, look, this is a guy who needs to be more aggressive at crunch time. That’s really been his problem.” Zverev didn’t take long to learn from his mistakes. “And he heard that and at Laver Cup, he started being more aggressive there. Roger was in the front row watching him. And I think we’re seeing him try and work to get to that next level by trying to improve that forehand with more speed on the shot and put the work in. And I think Federer has a big, had a big say in that,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, Zverev will now look to keep up his winning momentum in today’s semifinal against Taylor Fritz. With his new-found style of going for offensive shots, he will try to edge out the American and secure a spot in the title clash.

Alexander Zverev vs Taylor Fritz: Who will have the last laugh?

Zverev beat former World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in his last match with a scoreline of 7-6, 6-4. On the other hand, Fritz is coming off a hard-fought victory against Alex de Minaur. He defeated the Australian 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to secure his spot in the last four. Now speaking of Zverev and Fritz’s head-to-head record, the American leads the tally 6-5 as of now. In 2024, he’s won against Zverev three time already out of the four matches played between them. Their last meeting was at the US Open in September when Taylor took the better of Zverev in the QF round and won 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6. Obviously, the German will now try to take his revenge.

Both the rivals have won two ATP titles each this season. Speaking of Alexander Zverev, the current World No. 2 clinched the trophies at the Italian Open in May and then the Rolex Paris Masters earlier this month. On the other hand, the World No.5 won at the Delray Beach Open, back in February, and then lifted the trophy at the Eastbourne International in June.

When it comes to playing styles, Zverev relies less on his backhand. He prefers the forehand to dominate his opponents constantly. For Taylor, the forehand will be key to get an edge during the rallies. Moreover, the American may have a slight advantage over the German. It’s because he will be playing today’s match after getting a day’s break. On the other hand, Zverev will go directly into the SF after yesterday’s encounter against Alcaraz. Still, it’s too early to say if this factor will play any significant role in giving Fritz any major benefit. It all depends on who plays the best and rises to the occasion. Do you think Zverev will enter the final or Fritz will put an end to his run? Let us know in the comments.