At just 20 years old, Alexander Zverev is having a season that most players would dream of.
His impressive 2017 resume: five titles, two of which were claimed at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Rome (d. Djokovic) and Montreal (d. Federer); a Top 5 debut in the Emirates ATP Rankings; and six wins over Top 10 opposition.
“I’ve had a great season, winning two Masters is special for any player. Especially [since] the Big Four have been dominating that level,” said Zverev. “Nobody has won two [Masters 1000 titles] in one year for over 10 years outside those Big Four, so that’s a great achievement for me.”
The German wunderkind might be ahead of his pack for the age, but helms a long-awaited wave of fresh talent, which includes the likes of Andrey Rublev and Hyeon Chung, who face off for the trophy at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan Saturday.
“I think the young guys are all doing great,” said Zverev on the progress of his generation of up-and-comers. “We have a lot of them in the Top 50 now, which is a great achievement for them as well. I’ve played against a few of them, which all have been fantastic matches and they’re also improving a lot. Obviously I’m a bit higher ranked and have won more tournaments than them, but they’re coming up strong as well.”
Zverev, who became the youngest player since Juan Martin del Potro to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals when he reached the semi-finals in Beijing, spoke about the unique and lavish treatment that the players receive at the pristigeous year-end event, as well as the thrilling atmosphere he looks forward to playing in when the round robin stage gets underway on Sunday.
“I think this is a different tournament compared to any other one. This is even a bit different of a tournament for us than the Grand Slams. I think we get very special treatment here. Everything is done for the players. The backstage, the locker rooms and the restaurant area; everything is unbelievably managed for us and everybody is so friendly.
“We’re all excited to play inside of the stadium as well because the stadium is very special for all of us,” Zverev added. “The atmosphere is awesome because in an indoor event the atmosphere is always a bit louder, a bit more electric than anywhere else. We have great stadiums at the US Open and at Wimbledon obviously, but I think this one is even more special."
Chasing legends such as Federer and Rafael Nadal certainly isn’t easy for the #NextGenATP stars, but Zverev has risen to the task, defeating Federer twice in his career and pushing Nadal to five sets in an exciting third-round thriller at the Australian Open earlier this year. Although they present his most serious challenge at the Nitto ATP Finals this week, his admiration for the two remains steadfast.
“I think Roger and Rafa have been playing the best tennis of their lives this year. I really think that especially Roger, how he was playing on the faster surfaces, was amazing,” Zverev remarked. “It’s quite amazing how he is able to play at 36 years old – not saying that he’s old or anything! But what he’s doing on the tennis court is amazing.
“All of us young guys are working quite hard and we’re all trying to maybe replace them a little bit. This is what we’re all working toward, to win the biggest tournaments in the world.”