Alexander Zverev counters Boris Becker criticism as he signals clear intent in Stuttgart

STUTTGART, Germany—The summer atmosphere is finally in full swing at the first stop of the German grass-court season: the BOSS OPEN. After constant rain and wind made for unpleasant conditions during the qualification weekend, Monday brought sunshine and smiles as spectators swapped umbrellas and raincoats for sunglasses and t-shirts.

Zverev receives a fitting welcome

The weather wasn't the only thing to excite the spectators on Monday. When Germany's number one Alexander Zverev arrived at the Weissenhof in the afternoon, it was impossible to see the 6'6" star, such was the throng of fans around him as he walked from his car to the clubhouse. Dozens of children, equipped with XXL tennis balls and pens, shouted his name, hoping to get close to the world No. 3 for an autograph. After Zverev disappeared into the clubhouse, the fans remained hopeful outside the door, waiting for their star to emerge.

Zverev's fans in Germany are countless and committed, even after his quarterfinal exit at Roland Garros. Although the Hamburg native is still disappointed about the result—and has also faced a lot of criticism from former pros, including Boris Becker and Barbara Rittner—Stuttgart continues to celebrate the 28-year-old.

"The last time I was here was six years ago. The facility is still beautiful. I think the fans are also really looking forward to it. Hopefully it will be a great week," said Zverev ahead of his first training session.

"When things are going badly for me, everyone else is very, very clever."

After his five-set defeat against Novak Djokovic last Wednesday, Zverev traveled to the Balearic island of Majorca without further ado. At his press conference following his elimination in Paris, he announced that he wanted to switch off by playing golf, and would not be playing tennis for the time being.

"I flew straight from Paris to Majorca. I was there until this morning," he revealed on Monday in Stuttgart. Later, he added with a laugh: "I wasn't partying. You won't see me there. I actually played 36 holes a day. I really enjoyed it."

After resting his racquet for four days, he returned to a green of a different kid, the grass courts in Stuttgart. But that wasn't the only thing on Zverev's mind. In the wake of his Roland Garros exit, both Becker and Rittner said that, from a coaching perspective, Zverev needs to change his approach if he wants to win his first Grand Slam title.

"When things are going well for me, I always do everything right. When things are going badly for me, everyone else is very, very clever. Unfortunately, Boris is one of them, and so is Barbara Rittner," Zverev replied when asked about the comments.

"I don't know why she [Rittner] suddenly has so much to say about my tennis career. To be honest, I don't take her opinion seriously. Firstly, because of that, and secondly, because I think she's wrong," he continued.

I came back to No. 2 in the world after an injury and played two Grand Slam finals in the last twelve months. I still see myself as a contender against the two guys at the top.

"I lost to Djokovic. Maybe it wasn't my best match, but I thought he played very well. [...] It was just difficult. And to be honest, I talked to Boris a lot, had a lot of contact with him before he made those statements. Before this crew had all that to say, I had a great relationship with him. I don't know why it all has to be like this now."

"I really wanted to win the French Open!"

Zverev also emphasized: "I lost to Djokovic. Not to Hans-Peter, who is ranked 250th in the world. Sure, it's bitter for me. I really wanted to win the French Open and go far. But it happened the way it did, and we'll keep looking at how we can improve my game."

Zverev remained composed when asked about other issues, such as his father and brother putting pressure on him.

"It's interesting that suddenly everyone knows everything better than I do.

I have no idea where all this information is coming from that is now suddenly on the table. It's not coming from me. And I don't think it's coming from my entourage either.

"I will always listen to what he has to say."

What Zverev longs for at this moment: "I wish that the two of them [Becker and Rittner] were sitting here instead of me, holding the press conference and answering your questions. Because these statements are not coming from me."

But in fact Becker will be at the BOSS OPEN on Tuesday to record the latest episode of his podcast with Andrea Petkovic. Despite all the statements that have been made, Zverev is respectful and conciliatory about a possible meeting with the six-time Grand Slam champion.

"I will always talk to him if he wants to talk to me. In every relationship, whether it's with a partner or someone else, there are issues to argue about. This is perhaps one of ours at the moment. [...]

I still have enormous respect for him. He is an absolute legend, not only in sport, but in Germany in general, and also worldwide. I will always listen to what he has to say. But I don't always have to agree with him.

The tough defeat in Paris did have one small advantage, as it means that the German is able to compete in Stuttgart for the first time in six years. Zverev will face either wild card Fabio Fognini or Frenchman Corentin Moutet on Thursday.

"Physically, it's difficult to play here. You don't really have any preparation time and the risk of injury is a bit higher on grass if you're not 100 percent fresh," he said. "But this is a tournament I really like, and I'm very happy to be back."

But he didn't just travel to Stuttgart to warm up for Wimbledon. He has bigger plans:

"When I'm here, I want to give everything to get far and win."