“I was looking forward to being there, but due to an ongoing injury, I will not be available next week,” is what Novak Djokovic said after missing out on the ATP Finals. One of the best players of his generation, the Serbian player, having won the Finals’ title 7 times took to his social media to announce he was pulling out. His withdrawal has now made the path to the ultimate title a bit easier for the rest of the stars. However, his absence will clearly be felt and Alexander Zverev clearly feels this way.

Back at Roland Garros earlier this year, the Serbian suffered a meniscus injury. However, despite the injury concerns, he managed to make his way into the finals of the Wimbledon where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz. Ever since the concerns, he has been very selective with the events that he has played in with his major accomplishment coming at the Paris Olympics where he managed to win the gold medal.

Talking about the ATP Finals, the 38-year-old star managed to make his way into the main draw but later announced that he will not be able to take part in the event. Alexander Zverev, in the pre-match press conference before the ATP Finals, shared his thoughts on the competitive atmosphere of the ATP Finals, where he noted that every player has a shot at winning. “I think it’s the eight best players in the world,” emphasizing the talent and skill each player brings to the tournament.

While optimistic, Zverev couldn’t help but remark on Djokovic’s absence, adding, “Of course, we’re missing Novak.” Interestingly, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic have both faced each other 4 times during the ATP Finals and both the stars have won two matches each.

However, Zverev wishes to keep that aside and remain focused on the matches ahead, suggesting that without Djokovic, there’s an open field among the elite players. “Anybody who’s playing their best tennis has a chance of winning the tournament,” Zverev said, conveying his belief that this year’s Finals present a unique opportunity for each competitor to shine. With Novak Djokovic now also being absent from the ATP Finals, the event has taken a huge turn with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and now the Serbian also gone. Speaking about the transformation, Zverev made his thoughts clear.

Alexander Zverev opens up on how tennis is evolving from the Big 3 to the new generations

Alexander Zverev shared his perspective on the ongoing shift in tennis, as the sport moves from the dominance of the “Big 3” – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic – to a new generation of players. Zverev expressed how strange it feels not to see Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals this year, despite the Serbian’s impressive season. “For me, he’s still one of the best players in the world. I mean, he qualified for this event, right? He just chose not to play.”

Zverev also reflected on past tournaments, where the presence of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic made each event feel special. “The first few times I played, Roger, Rafa, and Novak were always the highlight of the tournament,” he noted, acknowledging that they were the favorites and the players everyone expected to see in the final rounds. Recalling his own victory in 2018, Zverev added, “I had to beat at least two of the three players… I beat Federer in the semis and Djokovic in the finals.”

He then reflected on the evolving landscape of tennis. Zverev suggested that the dominance once held by the Big 3 is now shifting to a new generation, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz leading the way. He noted, “I feel like now with Jannik and with Carlos, it kind of moved towards the same way just with new guys. You have to go through them to win big tournaments.”

“They both won two Grand Slams this year. They’re two of the best players in the world, for sure,” he said. While Carlos Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon, Sinner emerged victorious at the Australian Open and the US Open.

Coming back to Zverev, he has to keep his game at the top because the competition is tougher than the previous ones. Stepping into the event as one of the most experienced players, will he be able to clinch the title for the third time in his career? What are your thoughts on this? Do let us know in the comments below!