“Then why do you play?”
Alexander Zverev makes Boris Becker Sauer
05/23/2025 – 07:29 a.m.Reading time: 1 min.
The dress rehearsal in front of the French Open failed Alexander Zverev. He himself named an illness as the reason. Boris Becker wonders.
The early end of Alexander Zverev at the ATP tournament in Hamburg triggered discussions-Boris Becker also participated. The former Wimbledon winner showed little understanding of the decision of the German top player when you appeared for Eurosport, despite health problems.
After his three-movement defeat against the Frenchman Alexandre Müller, Zverev had declared that he had a fever and handed over before the match the night. For Becker this raises questions: “Why are you then playing?” Said the 57-year-old on Thursday. In his opinion, the world ranking fifth should have done without a start.
“He is a hamburger, it is perhaps even his favorite tournament. That’s why I understand this emotional decision to have taken the Wildcard,” said the 57-year-old: “But if you are so physically struck, with the aim of playing successfully in Paris, Sascha Zverev must also see that a few days of break are important.”
Despite his criticism, Becker also saw a positive side of Zverev’s early departure. “Maybe that’s happiness in misfortune,” he said. Due to the defeat, the Olympic champion is now forced to recover. In this constraint for the break, even an advantage can be, said Becker.