Alexander Zverev will face Roger Federer in the group stage in London. The story of the two players against each other is short – but still changeable.
London. When Alexander Zverev took part in the Laver Cup in Prague at the end of September, he literally had the big champion behind him. When Zverev played Centre Court, a certain Roger Federer (36) appeared on the back of the bench at times and whispered a few useful tips to the German:”It was completely crazy,” recalls the 20-year-old touring starter,”it was a unique experience.
This can also be taken literally, at least so far, after the premiere of the show tournament. When the ATP World Championships start on Sunday in the London 02-Arena, the usual conditions will return. No team experience, no team spirit, no coaching by Federer or Rafael Nadal. It’s the duel between men. And early on, Federer and Zverev had to fight against each other. Zverev and Federer were drawn into a group on Wednesday morning, the so-called Boris Becker Group.
In addition to Federer, the Croatian Marin Cilic and the American Jack Sock belong to the group opponents of the Hamburger, who reached a new all-time high in the rankings just in time for the showdown in Britain’s capital – with 3rd place. The “Pete Sampras Group” will feature world leader Rafael Nadal, Austria’s Ass Dominic Thiem, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrow and Belgian David Goffin. This group is generally seen as somewhat weaker, and Nadal’s participation is also subject to speculation. The matador from Manacor had recently had to give up at the Masters in Paris because of a knee injury. He will end the season as number one in any case.
Nadal’s case is a bit symptomatic of the bad weather situation in front of the highest quality of all tournaments off the Grand Slams. At the end of an exhausting season, almost all stars are suffering from minor and major aches and pains, even Zverev was the last one to notice the strains of the chase through time zones and across continents.”The player who has the best chances at the World Cup is the player who can really mobilize all his reserves, and who is the least exhausted,”says Becker, one of the two name cartridges. He himself, the almost 50-year-old old master, was a specialist in this field. World Cup days with Becker were often enough holidays, whether in New York, Frankfurt or Hanover.
Since Becker’s and Stitch’s times and Rainer Schüttler’s strong tennis year in 2003, no German has played such an impressive season as Zverev. Right after Federer and Nadal, the giant had booked the ticket for London, and five season titles (including two Masters victories) pushed the application offensive and ensured a stable top-ten position. Against his opponents in the preliminary round, Zverev has a positive or at least balanced result: 3:1 against the Croatian Cilic, his opening rival on Monday. 1:1 against the American Sock, who still qualified on the last push, with the Masters victory in Paris. And 2:2 against Federer, to whom he lost in the final of the Gerry Weber Open 2017. And in the late summer, he made a splendid retaliation with his triumph in the Masters Final in Montreal,”It’s going to be a big challenge in London. But it’s also a great experience,”says Zverev.