In the world of tennis, only Italian Jannik Sinner is on the throne above Alexander Zverev. For the German number one, however, another current player is the measure of all things.
The 21-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz is currently third in the ATP rankings behind Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, although the latter does not believe that the ranking reflects the true strength of the tennis world.
“When Alcaraz plays at a high level, he is better – in my honest opinion,” said Zverev in a video on the podcast “Volleys and Tweeners”, which Zverev’s brother Mischa runs and “Eurosport” commentator Matthias Stach.
“Winning two Grand Slams is a sign that he got and I didn’t,” Alexander Zverev explains why the Sinner ends 2024 as number one. But since Alcaraz has won two majors in 2024, the youngster can also be tested in front of him in terms of good results, surprising Zverev, who believes that Alcaraz can do more.
Tennis: Zverev believes that Alcaraz is kind of crazy
He thinks “Alcaraz can win 20 Grand Slam tournaments,” says Zverev, an impressive mark that puts the Grand Slam winner on par with Novak Djokovic (24 Grand Slam victories). , Rafael Nadal (22) and Roger Federer (20).
However, Zverev doesn’t see himself as far away. However, Zverev “obviously” sees himself as the third number behind the two stars, as he has distance to the chase.
About 3,000 points separate the German in the world rankings from fourth-placed Taylor Fritz, Zverev’s opponent in 2024. The gap to fifth-placed Daniil Medvedeev is the same, while sixth-placed Casper Ruud is better.