Alexander Zverev must elevate his game when it most counts—and keep it there

Any chance that the Australian Open men’s final would produce a fairytale ending to match the one spun by Madison Keys just 24 hours earlier evaporated almost immediately, after defending champion Jannik Sinner and ATP No. 2 Alexander Zverev began firing away at each other on Sunday evening in Melbourne.

Like Keys, Zverev was hoping to join the most elite club in tennis by breaking through to claim his first Grand Slam title. The 27-year-old, a loser in two previous major finals, held a substantial lead in both of those matches, but this time he never even got his foot in the door. Zverev spiraled out in straight sets in two hours and 45 minutes without ever forcing Sinner to face a break point. The final score was 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

When it was over, Zverev stood on the podium during the trophy presentation, a faraway look in his eyes. He waited patiently while a heckler carried on high in Rod Laver Arena and appeared to search for words for a long time before he finally spoke. He went through the formalities, congratulating the winner and his support team. He then thanked his own team and said to the crowd: “We’re trying to do all the right work. I’m just not good enough.”

It’s a humbling confession to have to make before the multitudes. It would be cruel to be flip about it, but his admission was borne out at just about every level. Sinner hit more winners (32 to 25, and Zverev’s total includes his 12 aces), he made far fewer unforced errors (25 to 47), and he won more points returning first and second serves. Zverev’s massive serve was his one area of superiority: in addition to clocking twice the number of aces, his first-serve conversion percentage was better, 68 percent to 60 percent.

“Today he completely outplayed me,” Zverev told reporters afterward. “I’m serving better than him, but that’s it. He does everything else better than me. He moves better than me. He hits his forehand better than me. He hits his backhand better than me. He returns better than me. He volleys better than me. That’s the reason why he won.”

While this win was straightforward, there were a few wrinkles and nuances worth contemplating. Zverev seemed a little disorganized at the start. He had trouble choosing the racquet with the desired tension. Once in the flow of the match, he never seemed to take command of points, even when a blazing serve gave him the opportunity. He seemed unsure of what strategy to pursue and, worst of all, he lacked confidence.

While Zverev visibly expressed his frustrations time and time again, he never got fired up or emotional after a good shot and, while it wasn’t a particularly long match, he seemed to lose resolve as it rolled on—and his energy went with it. The turning point was a heartbreaking blow that occurred in the second-set tiebreaker. During a rally at 4-all, Sinner hit a let-cord ball that just flopped over and died on Zverev’s side of the court. After that, Sinner was off to the races.

Comparing Sinner to the other leading men, Zverev said: “He’s very, very similar to Novak when he was at his best. They barely miss, like barely miss. They make you think like you have to overhit all the time to have a chance in a rally against them. They’re constantly on the baseline. They don't give you any space. They don't give you any time.”

We’re trying to do all the right work. I’m just not good enough. Alexander Zverev, after falling to 0-3 in Grand Slam finals

Although the outlook seems gloomy, Zverev vowed to keep chasing his dream of winning the Grand Slam title that eluded him in the 2020 US Open final of 2020 and last year at Roland Garros. On both occasions, his opponents (Dominic Thiem in New York, Carlos Alcaraz in Paris) wrestled control of the match out of his hands. This third shortfall will give him even more to think about when it comes to his most thorny problem: How to elevate his game when it most counts—and keep it there.

Only Goran Ivanisevic played more majors (48) than Zverev before he finally won one. That’s good news, sort of, because thus far Zverev has played just 36. But that’s cold comfort—as were the words of Sinner when he saw how distraught Zverev was immediately before the trophy ceremony.

The winner pulled him aside and, according to Zverev, said: “You’re going to lift one of these (Grand Slam) trophies one day. You’re too good not to.”