While Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz split the Grand Slam titles between themselves this year, Alexander Zverev made his presence felt with a steady comeback, nestling himself at the World No. 2 spot between them. The German came close to his first Grand Slam title, reaching the French Open final and proving he’s still a force to be reckoned with. The top three are fierce rivals on the court but off the court it’s all good in the hood!

Particularly  Zverev and Alcaraz have developed a close friendship. Talking with tennis MAGAZIN in a video interview, he said, “We’ve had some special moments together, playing the biggest matches against each other on the pitch and spending a bit more time together off the pitch. That’s what has developed. Every time we play, and every time we’ve played this year, it’s been a very high level with a lot of entertainment to watch and it’s just fun to be on the pitch with him.”

However, despite their close bond, according to Zverev the best player in the world is Jannik Sinner. Talking about the World No. 1 he said, “I’ve known him since he was 16 or 17 years old. He trained with Riccardo Piatti near Monte Carlo. Whenever it rained, we went there because there was a hall there. So I’ve known him since he was a young boy at the academy. In terms of tennis, he absolutely deserves to be number one in the world. He has won two Grand Slam titles, three Masters titles, and the ATP Finals. He is the best player in the world, he has won the most titles.”

The trio has produced some of the thrilling matches this year that have captivated the fans immensely. Alcaraz and Zverev met on 4 occasions this year, with Zverev winning their first encounter in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Alcaraz equaled the score at the Indian Wells quarterfinals and then took a lead at the French Open final claiming the trophy. However, Zverev later tied their head-to-head for the season as he defeated Alcaraz at the ATP Finals. Meanwhile, Sinner and Zverev met only once this year at the Cincinnati Open semifinals where Sinner won the match and later also claimed the trophy.

While Zverev played some high quality this season, he was probably at the peak of his career a couple of years back when injury halted his success.

Alexander Zverev reveals the toughest moment of his career

Let’s not forget Alexander Zverev’s journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing. The German tennis player tore his ankle ligament in the French Open semi-final encounter against the King of Clay Rafael Nadal in 2022. The scoreline was a close 7-6 (8), 6-6 where Nadal had the edge but  Zverev slipped and had to be carried off the court on a stroller.

He recently opened up about one of the toughest moments in his career on HEAD Tennis’ YouTube channel. Zverev said, “I was one match away from being world number one and playing probably the best tennis of my life against the greatest clay court player to ever live in Rafael Nadal.” He further added, ” But knowing in the back of my mind that I need to win one match within three months to become world number one, that was difficult for me and obviously being in a cast and not being able to not only play but just simply to walk and do daily things, that was tough.”

Instead of being crowned the World N0. 1, Zverev finished his 2022 season at no. 12. He had fallen off the top 20 in 2023 but managed to finish the season at No.7. He has made a stunning comeback this year fishing at a high ranking of World No.2. Zverev was close to clinching the French Open again this year but was beaten by Alcaraz in a thrilling five-setter.

What do you think about Zverev’s prospects in 2025? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.