Alexander Zverev has not ruled out the possibility of Boris Becker coaching him but mentioned one area that could complicate the pair working together.
Zverev finished 2024 as the ATP world No. 2 after an impressive season that included winning two Masters 1000 titles, reaching the final of the French Open, and the semifinal of the Australian Open.
Despite those impressive feats, Zverev has still yet to win a Grand Slam. The Olympic gold medalist and two-time ATP Finals champion is one of the most statistically successful players never to secure a major title.
However, Zverev is 27 years old, meaning he has much time left to achieve that feat. The German spoke openly in the closing stages of 2024 about wanting to improve specifically for the 2025 Australian Open.
One measure Zverev took to achieve this was practicing after matches. For example, the 2020 US Open runner-up hit the practice courts after beating Ugo Humbert in the final of the Paris Masters.
Last month, Zverev was told that he would not win a Grand Slam without making a vital adjustment to his game, while the legendary Roger Federer believes he is too cautious in big matches.
Another method some use to be successful is hiring coaches with experience on the most significant stages because they can relate to the pressure of trying to perform in front of millions worldwide for Grand Slam titles.
Novak Djokovic is the most notable example of that approach. After successfully working with Goran Ivanisevic for almost five years, the Serbian hired former rival Andy Murray as his coach until the end of the 2025 Australian Open.
Djokovic also successfully collaborated with Becker from December 2013 until December 2016. The 24-time Grand Slam champion won six of those major titles with the German in his team, including three in 2015.
Becker also briefly coached Holger Rune for a few months until February 2024, but that collaboration swiftly ended because the three-time Wimbledon winner would not commit to regularly traveling with Rune.
Zverev has been coached by his father for the last year. The world No. 2 worked with Sergi Bruguera, Richard Gasquet's and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's former coach, until May 2023, before their split.
Becker and Zverev share a good relationship off the court, which has raised the possibility of the six-time Grand Slam champion joining his younger compatriot's team as a coach to try and help him secure that elusive major title.
In an interview with Tennis Magazin, Zverev said Becker needed to answer one important question if they were to discuss a coaching partnership. This year's French Open runner-up also wants to be careful about adding someone new to his team.
"I love Boris and I also believe that he has an incredible knowledge of tennis. But I don’t know how he feels about travelling. That’s the only question mark for him."
"As soon as he has solved and clarified that, we can talk about it. We are always in contact with him and often talk to each other. Now for Australia, it will stay as it is and then I will see."
"The right person has to be there. I won’t just take anyone just because I or others think it’s right. I did it, I tried to work with many people. But I found that only one person really helped me a lot."
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