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Alexander Zverev won the title at the French Open without having to play against a top player. But that in no way detracts from his great success. A comment.
Congratulations, Alexander Zverev! And first of all: This applies without any restrictions. The 29-year-old marched confidently up to the final and there he showed everything it takes to be a real champion. Zverev first played Flavio Cobolli against the wall, then had to accept setbacks, used his experience in the crucial moments and finally even defeated his cramping body.
Cool Zverev completed his Title collection
Zverev is an Olympic champion, a world champion and now finally a Grand Slam winner. No title in professional tennis comes even close to a triumph at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon or the US Open – which is also why Zverev ran so desperately after this one victory despite all his successes (he had won 24 tournaments before Paris). And when he did it with courage and less doggedness, he won it after so many failed attempts including three lost Grand Slam finals.
The dramatic final in Paris had so many moments in which a Zverev of earlier days would have freaked out. But only Cobolli did that on this historic day for the German, who scolded himself and his team, including the referee, who showed weaknesses in his character and made outrageous mistakes even at the most inopportune moments. This used to be reserved for Zverev, but now he was the beneficiary of it.
This French Open triumph is worth just as much as others
Speaking of beneficiaries. There will certainly be critics who deny this triumph its greatness. Zverev didn’t have to defeat a top 10 player, there was no Carlos Alcaraz standing in his way, especially not the invincible Jannik Sinner, against whom he lost nine times in a row. Is it all just luck? Would have, would be, if and but. The question of whether things would have turned out differently if Zverev had had better opponents is never answered. But she doesn’t have to.
The last person who can do anything about who was opposite him was injured or left early is Zverev. His only job was to defeat everyone he played against. So how can you punish someone at the moment of their greatest triumph for what others have done? How can you downplay the fulfillment of a career dream because of this? Despite all the justified criticism of Zverev in recent years: This is completely inappropriate.
Zverev has succeeded what Alcaraz and Sinner failed to do
Because the truth is: In contrast to Alcaraz, Zverev has managed to stay healthy; physical health is also a good that you have to work for to a certain extent. And Zverev, in contrast to Sinner and other top players, did not expose himself against supposed underdogs. Whether it was heat, strong wind or cramps in his right calf – the third in the world rankings, who was otherwise at a loss for excuses, didn’t want to accept any excuses this time. The result is the biggest title of his career.
And that despite the fact that Zverev was the hunted from Sinner’s elimination in the second round. Every opponent became a little bit more difficult and the pressure on the German increased. Because everyone, absolutely everyone, no longer just expected the title, but actually demanded it. Zverev will have known that the opinion “out there” was that he would never win a Grand Slam if not now. How many have been broken by such expectations? The fact is: not him this time. It was a Paris triumph without any ifs and buts.