Under-achieving Zverev knows it’s time to deliver
Feeling it’s been too long between drinks, Alexander Zverev is vowing to throw everything at Novak Djokovic in a desperate bid to savour a third grand slam final – and hopefully more.
Zverev will take on Djokovic on Friday in what will be the German’s eighth semi-final at a major.
Tennis’s most unfulfilled talent accepts his strike rate at the sport’s four biggest events is not good enough.
But the 27-year-old also notes he was not a factor at the slams for the best part of 18 months after tearing an Achilles tendon during his painful 2022 French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
“I did have a two-year break where I was not competitive for grand slams,” Zverev said.
“From my injury in 2022 till basically 2024 I was not really a contender for grand slams.
“The last part of 2022 I wasn’t playing at all. In 2023, it was my comeback year. But realistically speaking, I was not at the level to compete for grand slams.
“So I think being in those situations more frequently and maybe not having a gap of multiple years where I am in grand slam finals is very important.
“So I’m going to do everything I can to be in another one on Sunday.”
Runner-up to Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open after relinquishing a two-set lead, then losing last year’s French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev knows he is capable.
Two season-ending champions and an Olympic singles gold medal are testament to his talent.
Hence why the second seed will enter his third Australian Open semi-final – and second straight after also losing from two sets up last year against Daniil Medvedev – believing he can win.
“You’re not going to get to the semis of a grand slam by not deserving to be there and not playing great tennis,” Zverev said.
“If you are in a semi-final of a grand slam, you have to expect a tough match.
“If somebody’s there, that means they have played great tennis – and yes, more often than not it happens to be Sinner and Alcaraz, a Djokovic, to get there because those are the best players in the world.
“So I’m going to prepare myself for a tough battle. I’m going to prepare myself for a very intense and high-level match.
“I know I have the level. I’ve beaten them before. Hopefully I can do that again.”
Djokovic, who holds an 8-4 winning record over the German, or Zverev will play either the top-ranked titleholder Sinner or American world No.20 Ben Shelton in the final.
Sinner and Shelton feature in the night-session semi on Friday, having usurped Djokovic from the prime-time slot.
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