The Belgian, currently n.41 in the ranking with two finals in the major circuit, has talent and attention to the environment
“Watch out for that guy. His game is worth the top 20 in the world.” Richard Gasquet says it frankly, reminding the public and himself that after all, losing to someone like that can happen. Except that on the other side there is not a multiple title winner, but Zizou Bergs. The stage? The same one that will soon see the Belgian boy face Jannik Sinner: the Masters 1000 in Paris. Exactly one year ago Bergs heard that phrase and found motivation again. He has made the most of it: from October 2024 to today he has gained various positions in the ranking, two finals and a title… in carbon.
In the SIGN OF ZIDANE
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In the name of the father and grandfather. Zizou Bergs, Sinner’s next opponent, exudes passion even from his name: the mother was expecting a girl and wanted to call him Amélie, the father was confident in the boy and already had the name ready. Blame the nickname by which Koen Bergs was known in amateur football in Lommel, Belgium: “He played tricks with the ball. They called him Zizou”. As well as his son, born a year after the World Cup in France of which Zidane was the absolute protagonist. The last Masters 1000 of the year is also played beyond the Alps. But facing Bergs is the world number 2.
THE BOND WITH THE GRANDFATHER
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Zizou’s father, in the town of Pelt (30 thousand souls on the outskirts of Lommel), doesn’t miss a single match. And never mind if the boy immediately put aside the idea of football to pick up the racket. In the middle there is a promise made to his grandfather, who passed away a year and a half ago: “I was in Miami, I couldn’t even attend the funeral” Bergs said some time ago, “he has always been my number one fan: we talked after every match, he always encouraged me to do better by giving me advice and even criticism. He will also guide me from up there”. Passion brought them together and must have made even their grandfather rejoice last October 13th: the boy from Lommel, two Mondays ago, woke up in the best ranking. At number 39.
TWO FINALS
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In 2025 he took away several satisfactions after all. The jump in the rankings came thanks to the great work put in in Shanghai, where he only stopped in the quarter-finals against Djokovic, but the growth has been exponential. Bergs played two finals, and on different surfaces: on the hard court of Auckland, where he lost to Monfils, and on the grass of s’Hertogenbosch which saw him fall against Diallo. But the feeling is that a 250 point title is within reach. After all, the boy grew up with the best Belgian teachers: together with his second father Bemelmans, Kristof Vliegen, who in 2006 reached 30th position, joined the staff this year. The one that Zizou dreams of, and also something more: “I dare to aim for the top 10. If you are convinced of something, you can achieve it by putting a plan in place.”
GREEN HEART
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Well, the boy has several plans. And not all of them are necessarily about tennis. For example, last February Bergs won the ATP Carbon Tracker, the prize reserved for the player who pays the most attention to carbon emissions when travelling. Zizou has a passion for the environment and a heart decidedly bigger than a tennis ball: during his junior years, during a tournament in Burundi, he realized his privileged condition. And so he decided to regularly finance the supply of sports equipment to Africa: “It doesn’t matter the size of the match, we send everything: ropes, rackets, shoes, sweatshirts, t-shirts. They play with everything: I know that in Burundi, today, it is easy to see people on the court with my rackets and my clothes. It fills me with joy.” And it’s worth more than a final.
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