Tennis News: Zverev talks about the ATP Cup goals | Tennis News

The German team around Alexander Zverev and Jan Lennard Struve are well prepared for the ATP Cup in Melbourne. Above all, Zverev has planned a lot after his disappointing performance last year.

Alexander Zverev thought for a moment, then formulated a very clear personal goal. Germany’s best player said ahead of the opening match in Melbourne next week: “Last year I didn’t win a match in the ATP Cup, I just got a set. It wasn’t enough on my part, it should get better this time.” . Zverev thinks “I can play well when I’m in good shape.”

Zverev: I worked hard during my break

That is, as confirmed by the 23-year-old, who competes in doubles in the ATP Cup alongside Jean-Lennard Struve and two-time French Open champion Kevin Kreowitz / Andreas Maes. The group that rivals Serbia with world number one Novak Djokovic and Canada with Denis Shapovalov are not necessarily walking, but: “I worked a lot and very hard during the break,” Zverev said, “I think I did everything so that I could. Prepared as well as possible to start. Season “.

It starts in Melbourne with the ATP Cup (February 2-6) and continues with the Australian Open (February 8-21). Zverev believes this year’s first Grand Slam tournament allows up to 30,000 visitors per day in Melbourne Park. Overall, he sees the Melbourne organizers doing a “great job” on their way to the Australian tennis summer – with one exception: “The players in Adelaide were enjoying more training times and more freedom than those in Melbourne. I think that’s the only mistake the organizers made.” .

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal (Spain) and US Open champion Dominic Theam (Austria) are preparing for their first Grand Slam tournament this year in Adelaide. Unlike the players in Melbourne, who had to go into quarantine for 14 days after their arrival, Adelaide allowed almost unlimited access to training grounds and gave more freedom to spend free time.

Misha Zverev: ‘It’s a bit like playing the lottery’

With the quarantine expired, it could now start in Australian hard court, which the German team has already put in some sweat. “We trained really well,” said Misha, Zverev’s older brother, who was in charge of the ATP Cup for the first time as a team manager on the German bench. The 33-year-old predicts “A tough week, it’s hard to predict individuals’ performance. It’s a bit like playing the lottery, anything is possible.”

In a short video posted on the Eurosport website, the Zverev brothers give an insight into their final evening in quarantine. There was aluminum bowls, spare ribs, mayonnaise fries – and mango. Misha claimed, “Sasha already threw them towards me.” Until the first match in the ATP Cup on Wednesday (00.00 hours / sky) Against Canada the hump will definitely disappear.

Sports Information Service (SID)