Alexander Zverev Says He Stopped Breaking Rackets For Good, Here's Why

Wednesday, 06 August 2025 at 17:00

byErik Virostko

Alexander Zverev has changed his approach when it comes to breaking tennis rackets, and he explained why.

Tennis players have a unique opportunity to express their anger on the court. With a racket in their hand, it's easy to destroy it and vent the frustration, something that, for example, football or basketball players can't do.

Many players break rackets, but there is an increasing number of those who try not to do that. Everyone has different reasons, but mostly it comes down to being a good role model for the upcoming generation, as well as showing respect to those who can't afford to buy a tennis racket, let alone destroy one.

Rafael Nadal has famously never destroyed a tennis racket, and it seems that Zverev now wants to follow in his footsteps, and that doesn't apply only to working with Rafa's uncle Toni Nadal.

The German player has decided to stop breaking rackets, and he explained why after his quarter-final win at the 2025 Canadian Open in Toronto. Zverev beat Alexei Popyrin in three sets, 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-3, and he had reasons to be frustrated after the first set.

During his post-match press conference, Zverev was asked about his frustration, and he used it as an opportunity to explain that he chose not to break tennis rackets anymore, since it was a situation in which he would have broken one a few years ago.

"Well, a few years ago it would have been a broken racket, for sure. But I don't break rackets any more. The last time I broke a racket was, I think, three and a half years ago, that was the last time I broke a racket. I'm not planning on changing that."

"But, yeah, it was necessary to get it out somehow, because it was a set full of opportunities I feel like. And a lot of unlucky moments also on my side, especially the set point. I mean, the let court was extremely unlucky. Yeah, just had to let it out and move on."

Zverev has broken many rackets in the past. For example, the Australian Open used to be an event where he showed plenty of frustration. In 2018, Zverev destroyed his racket after falling 0-3 behind in the fifth set against Hyeon Chung, and in 2019, he also destroyed his racket in Melbourne after falling 1-6, 1-4 behind against Milos Raonic.

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Despite saying that he hasn't broken a racket in more than three years, Zverev was close to doing that earlier this year in Australia. Again at the Australian Open, the German showed plenty of frustration when falling 0-2 behind against Jannik Sinner, but despite slamming his racket on his bag, he never actually broke it.

Why Zverev doesn't break tennis rackets anymore

During his press conference in Toronto, Zverev explained his motives behind not breaking rackets anymore. He explained that as a father, he wants to be a role model.

"A few things. One is about taking responsibility of who you are as a person. Number one thing, I've said it before, but I'm a father now, so I want to be a good example there."

"Also, you know, I want to be remembered for my tennis. I want to be remembered for what I've achieved on the court, for what I've done on the tennis court. Also for the good things I do outside the tennis court as well."

"Because I feel like there's quite a lot of work that I do with my foundation, and with my family as well, which can be beneficial and helps people around the world, so I would much rather be known and remembered for that than the outbursts that I used to have, right?"

"Yeah, that's just something that at some point it just comes. It came with Roger as well. Roger used to have outbursts like crazy, and then he changed, he became Roger Federer, he became this perfection that we all know him as now. But it wasn't always that case. But, yeah, something in the mind clicked and decided to, yeah, to be different on the court."

There's no doubt that Zverev's temper will be tested in the upcoming months, but one can only support his desire to be a good role model on the tennis court. His next test will come in the semi-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto against Karen Khachanov.