Alexander Zverev fondly remembers the Olympics, having won the gold medal in 2021, and he much prefers the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo compared to those in Paris.
Zverev arrived in Paris fairly confident that he could challenge for the medal. The event was played at Roland Garros, courts where he was spectacular in years past. He also had the experience of having won gold at the previous Olympic Games.
However, the outcome this year was vastly different. Zverev wasn't feeling that great in Paris. He struggled physically, and his tennis suffered. He didn't even make the medal rounds and was quite frustrated about it, venting his frustrations about the organization.
It has been some time since then, and he has had a chance to settle both emotionally and physically, so after starting the 2024 Canadian Open with a dominant win, Zverev briefly discussed his Olympic experience on the Tennis Channel.
"I prefer Tokyo. I prefer winning the gold, obviously. It's always special to be part of the Olympics. This year was strange because it was at Roland Garros, a place we know extremely well. At the same time, it was very different."
"The Olympic Village wasn't the greatest. I have to admit that. I struggled a bit with the food and with sleeping. No AC in the room, which was a bit difficult for me. It was the same for everybody, no complaining there, but in those regards, Tokyo was a lot better."
He's not the only tennis player or athlete who complained about the Olympic Village. Quite a few of them complained that the rooms were quite limited in what they had to offer, especially when it came to air conditioning because it's summer and the temperatures in the French capital have risen really high.
Some tennis players, like Coco Gauff's roommates, left the village to stay in hotels. Zverev couldn't do that because the German Federation applied a policy that required athletes to stay in the Olympic Village, which was a bit tough for the German.
As he noted, he struggled with food and sleeping because there wasn't any AC. Overall, the experience was nice for Zverev, who enjoyed his stay in the Olympic Village for various other reasons.
He met other athletes, including Simone Biles, who he also talked about. Obviously, the disappointment of not making the medal rounds looms large because that's what he came to do in Paris, but overall, it was still something he enjoyed.
After all, the Olympics come around every four years, so it's not something that happens often. Experiences like those he had in Paris won't be possible until 2028 and Los Angeles—if he plays at all.
"It was a great experience being with all the athletes there. Being in the Olympic village, but of course, winning is always the most fun, and I didn't do that this time."