After strong Australian Open and a fiasco in the so -called “Golden Swing”, Alexander Zverev takes a new attempt in Indian Wells. A tournament that has not been going so well for the German tennis star in the past.
Alexander Zverev only treated itself to a little breather after the start of the season in Australia in January. The German number one in the tennis world got back into the tournament seamlessly – with the so -called “Golden Swing”. This series of South American clay court tournaments, which traditionally take place in February after the first major event in Australia, are early preparation for the clay court season with the highlight of the French Open in Paris.
Zverev defends starts in South America
At the tournaments, some of which were only moderately occupied, the 27-year-old did not get beyond the quarter-finals and admitted afterwards that this change on sand was probably too hasty. “Maybe that was not the right decision. Especially after the final in the Australian Open, I might have been a little longer on hard court,” said Zverev in retrospect for the past few weeks.
Even the return to hard court, at the tournament in the Mexican Acapulco, which Zverev was still able to win in 2023, disappointed early: US talent Learner Tien sent Zverev home after the second round. Now he is venturing into a new attempt at the prestigious Masters in Indian Wells. The first opponent on Friday evening (07.03.2025) is the Dutch Tallon Giekspoor.
Zverev is optimistic about Indian Wells
Despite the mixed performance of the past few weeks, Zverev remains confident: “At the moment I feel good. Of course I would like to find my rhythm again and win tennis match again.” Overall, the start of the season is more positive than the negative results last, “I still think that I had a good start to the season. If you look back on Australia, I have reached another Grand Slam final.”
The advantage for the “Fifth Grand Slam of the Year”, as Indian Wells is often titled: another week of training and intensive preparation. The tournament in California is highly doped-financially and sporty: the winner can look forward to around $ 1.2 million in prize money and $ 1,000 world ranking points.
Fight for the World ranking tip
Due to the doping lock of the world ranking, Jannik Sinner, who was positively tested for the forbidden means of closebol, Zverev slips to the top of the tournament tree. Until the start of the French Open in May, Sinner will be closed – a chance for Zverev, in whose absence to conquer the top of the world rankings. In Indian Wells alone, Sinner, who was there in the semi -finals last year, loses 400 points. With over 3000 points behind in early March, there is still no easy undertaking.
Especially since Zverev’s memories of Indian Wells are not too good. He never got out of the quarter -finals here. Last year was the end station against Carlos Alcaraz, who is one of the favorites this year. This duel, number two and number three in the world, would be a possible endgame.
Novak Djokovic, who has already won five times in California, is not a closer favorite group after his unsuccessful tournament appearance in Doha. In any case, the 37-year-old Serb still does not seem to have completely recovered from his leg injury, which also forced him to the task in the Australian Open semi-final 2025 against Zverev.
“New soil” favors Zverev’s prospects
A possible advantage for ZverEV could consist of a change that has not existed in the past 25 years. Because: Not every hard court tournament is held under the same conditions. In order to standardize the conditions between the US Masters in Indian Wells, Miami and the US Open, the Indian-Wells organizers decided to change the flooring manufacturer this year-from “Plexipave” to “Laykold”.
Translated means: the covering is faster – and Zverev is accommodating. This is also shown by his results in Miami, where he was already in the semi -finals and finals in recent years. In 2020 he also contested his first major final on this covering at the US Open.
They are the signs that could help the German to finally end the quarter-final curse of California.