The ATP player who would always make Alexander Zverev ‘look like a fool’ when they played against each other as juniors

Having come so close on three separate occasions now, being within just one set of glory twice as well, the German has every right to feel aggrieved.

After all, he is now widely seen as the best player in history to have never won a major title. He will hope to change that soon.

Looking back on his decade-long career thus far, whilst speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, he spoke with fondness about his emergence onto the tour.

However, it was not easy for him as a junior, despite what some say.

Alexander Zverev recalls the player who always beat him as a junior

John Isner was one person who claimed that, at just 14 years old, he already knew that Alexander Zverev was destined for greatness.

The 28-year-old, however, disagreed, instead arguing: “I wasn’t actually that good when I was like, 14. I was okay, but I was not like the best.

“I mean, our generation is quite strong in the regard of depth, right? We have like Daniil Medvedev, we have Khachanov, we have Rublev, we have Kyrgios back in the day, we have so many guys that are such good players. And I wasn’t better than them.

“You know, if there was like a European competition, an American competition, like Stefan Kozlov, if you remember, he was like making me look like a fool sometimes on the court when we were 14. He was beating me like love and one.“

He then pinpointed exactly when he began to believe in his ability to one day reach the pinnacle of the sport: “I started being good at the age of 16. I grew a lot at the age of 15. I had a growth spurt of like 15, 20 centimetres that year. And then at the age of 16, I remember, I started being good.

“I mean, I finished the year number one in the world of juniors under 18. But before that, I was okay, but I was never the best. But then from the age of 16, yeah, that’s when I kind of had my growth spurt and then… Yeah, I started playing much better. I had my first big results on the senior tour.

“But I think my brother also helped me a lot when it came to the senior tour. And also, you guys at Saddlebrook helped me a lot when it came to the senior tour, because when I got to the senior tour, it wasn’t new to me, right? So like, I’d seen and planned before my brother, I practised with a lot of you guys in Saddlebrook as well. So it wasn’t like a shock moment when I started playing against you guys.

“So that helped me a lot to kind of be familiar at a very early age. But yeah, I think, I mean, obviously other people caught up as well, and other people have had incredible careers as well. But I think the reason why I kind of started playing well in the senior tour so early was because I’ve seen it before with my brother as well.”

Alexander Zverev reveals he has recently been coached by Rafael Nadal

During this interview, the three-time Grand Slam finalist also made some rather interesting comments about his current coaching situation.

After all, Zverev has been working with Toni Nadal of late, in what is the worst-kept secret in tennis at the moment.

What has also been well-documented is his desire to make this partnership a long-term union, with the Spaniard currently struggling to confirm due to the various commitments he already has.

Interestingly, he did admit that discussions have been ongoing, whilst also revealing the advice he received from Rafael Nadal during his spell with Toni.

He claimed: “He told me during the week, I don’t know how many times, that I need to be more brave. He said I need to take it on to myself in the most important moments. I know that as well, but hearing it from someone like him.”

Zverev continued: “So for me when I become passive that is when I am more hurtable for the top guys and he always told me he truly believes and I think I believe him, that he believes I can win a Grand Slam. He told me that a million times. But if I become more brave and take it on to myself to do that.”