Alexander Zverev, for the third time in 2025, has got the better of Jacob Fearnley.
Their latest clash came just last night, as the towering German struggled to earn a straight-sets win over the Brit in the US Open second round, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
It was far from either player’s best performance, but in the end, the quality and experience of the world number three told.
However, if he genuinely has aspirations to challenge for this title, he will have to perform at a much higher level as the tournament goes on.
That is what he has been told by one pundit, who was left rather perturbed after hearing what Alexander Zverev actually said to Jacob Fearnley at the net after their match.
What Alexander Zverev said at the net after beating Jacob Fearnley
It was fellow pundit Catherine Whitaker who first informed David Law of this comment, speaking on The Tennis Podcast.
She revealed: “Alexander Zverev, straight sets for him, maybe Jacob Fearnley, four, four, and four.
“A real, like, last gasp bit of inspiration from Jacob Fearnley in this match, who was clearly struggling with his right arm throughout the match. I think he’s been struggling with his arm all summer and kind of playing through it.
“But yeah, he got inspired at the end of this match, and he got the crowd with him. He was a double break down, got one of them back, had break points to get the second one back.
“He had Zverev looking a little bit stressed, actually, and at the net, Zverev said Where’d that come from, mate?”
Law did not appreciate that at all: “Yeah, I thought that was a really s——- comment, to be honest, because, yes, Fearnley did play really well, actually, and 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 is not really the match that I was watching.
“I think he was trying to be funny, but I thought, Crikey, you know, that’s a bit disparaging, really, to this guy.”
He then assessed Zverev’s level, continuing his critique: “And I definitely don’t think Zverev is playing in the first two rounds the way he was in Cincinnati. He’s reverted to type, so far, he’s gone into his shell, and he’s winning matches on the back foot and surviving.
“That isn’t going to get it done in this tournament. Like I said, he should be going to the semi-finals at least with his draw, but he’s going to have to bit more aggressive than that.”
Alexander Zverev’s quest for a first-ever Grand Slam title continues
As a former finalist at the US Open, where he came as close to winning a Grand Slam title as possible, Zverev should feel confident about his chances of challenging here this year.
However, as Law claims, the passive nature of his play style will not be enough to trouble Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
| Year | Event | Winner | Score |
| 2025 | Australian Open | Jannik Sinner | 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 |
| 2024 | French Open | Carlos Alcaraz | 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 2020 | US Open | Dominic Thiem | 2–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6 |
To defeat them, and many of the other top players, he will need to find an aggression and proactivity that have only been seen in flashes since his brief stint working with Toni Nadal.
Nadal knew exactly what Zverev needed when the two united, but his inability to commit permanently has halted any progress on that front.
He is, quite comfortably, the best player never to have won a major title. Having made his way through the first two rounds of this year’s US Open comfortably, hopefully he can up his level as the event goes on to finally grasp the ultimate prize that has eluded him for so long.
