Alexander Zverev can already look back on an excellent season with five tournament victories.But while many players are already feeling physical and mental fatigue at this stage, the 20-year-old is showing no signs of weakness before his opening match at the ATP Masters in Shanghai against Aljaz Bedene (Wednesday, from 8:30 a. m. at LIVETICKER).
“The season is not over yet, I’m ready for the upcoming tournaments,” says Zverev in an interview with Tennis TV:”I’m looking forward to Shanghai, but also to the tournaments in Europe and especially London.
Zverev is ranked number three in Shanghai and, following the tournament victories in Rome and Montreal, is on track for the third win of a Masters event this year.
Germany’s current number one sees the reason for such a successful year in 2017 as, among other things, an adapted seasonal preparation:”I have used my two-month break (before the season, note) to work on my physical condition.I’ve done everything in my power to achieve this success that’s now set in.”
The role as a well-established top 10 player is a new experience that presents an unusual mental challenge:”The players come to the place to really give everything against you to beat you.This is something I had to learn in the last few months.”
After the US Open, Zverev “put in a mini off-season” in Monaco, where he put the bat aside for a few days and worked on his physical fitness again to be prepared for the Asia trip of the World Tour, among other things.
nearby
The conditions in China seem to be good for Zverev,”I think the Masters here in Shanghai is one of the best 1000s tournaments we have on tour.I’d even say it’s second best after Indian Wells!”
With his five season titles, the Hamburg player was this year’s second most successful player behind Rafael Nadal.The Spaniard won his sixth tournament of the season last week in Beijing.Zverev is also the youngest player since Juan Martin del Potro in 2008 to qualify for the ATP World Tour finals of the top eight players.
Draw of the ATP-1000 tournament in Shanghai