Alexander Zverev: ‘You have to be perfect, otherwise you won’t win’ against Novak Djokovic

Alexander Zverev defeated Lloyd Harris in straight-sets on Wednesday to setup a repeat Tokyo Olympics semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows.

The German is on a superb 16 match winning streak after claiming Olympic gold medal and the title in Cincinnati last week.

Zverev has acknowledged he will have to produce a ‘perfect’ performance to down Djokovic at a Grand Slam, who is still on course to complete calendar Grand Slam in 2021.

“Yeah, against him (Novak Djokovic) you prepare that you have to play the best match that you can. You have to be perfect, otherwise you will not win,” Zverev said. “Most of the time you can’t be perfect. That’s why most of the time people lose to him.

Against him, you have to win the match yourself. You have to be the one that is dominating the points. You have to do it with very little unforced errors.”

“He is the best player in the world. He is very difficult to beat,” the German added.

Zverev will take confidence from beating Djokovic at Tokyo Olympics, asserting he can take heart from beating him in a ‘big match’.

“I mean, it’s the biggest tournament in the world, Tokyo. It’s the Olympics. Winning there against the world No. 1, especially that I was down a set and a break, being kind of out of the match, then coming back, it was different than the other matches. The emotions were different,” Zverev said.

“This year it seems like nobody can beat him in a big match, nobody can beat him at the Grand Slams. I feel like I was the first player to beat him in a very big match this year. That does give you something. To any person it would give you something,” he added.

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