‘Big titles have to come’ – Boris Becker expects Alexander Zverev to win Australian Open
Boris Becker is “confident” Alexander Zverev can win the Australian Open, but recognises if he fails to win a Slam this year then “pressure will increase and questions will get louder.”
World number three Zverev enjoyed a stellar season last year when he claimed gold at the rescheduled 2021 Tokyo Olympics and was the only player on the ATP Tour to win multiple Masters 1000 titles.
As a result, Zverev has previously outlined his ambitious goals to start winning Grand Slams and become the World number one. Zverev also believes that he, alongside Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, will continue his dominance on the Tour.
Six-time Slam victor Becker also hopes he can win Major titles and overtake him as Germany’s greatest male player.
Last year Zverev reached the quarter-finals or later at three of the four Grand Slams. However, he has only ever featured in one final, losing a five-set thriller against Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open.
Zverev has been handed a favourable draw at the upcoming Australian Open but finds himself in the same quarter as 20-time Slam titlist Rafael Nadal and World number ten Hubert Hurkacz.
All players involved in the ‘Happy Slam’ will be boosted by the potential absence of current World number one and other 20-time champion winner Djokovic.
The Serbian legend was granted a medical exemption prior to travelling Down Under, but had it revoked upon arrival. Whilst it was reinstated by the courts, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke superseded the court’s ruling to cancel his exemption and visa once more.
Becker told Eurosport Germany’s Das Gelbe vom Ball podcast “he (Zverev) is now in the form of his life and the big titles have to come.
“If it doesn’t happen this year, then the next generation will come and the pressure will increase a bit. Questions will get louder.
“We are still at the beginning of the year and I am confident that Sascha [Zverev] can win the Australian Open. But it won’t be a walk in the park.
“The competitors will not be sleeping; the top players will no longer have any pressure when they play Sascha Zverev in the second week.
“He is suddenly the favourite and people expect him to reach at least the semi-finals. That’s a different expectation and you have to be able to deal with that.”
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