Roger Federer believes Alexander Zverev needs to change his game if he wants to win a Grand Slam.
Zverev’s playing style has always been passive, relying on defense rather than offense. While this worked for him initially, it’s not as effective anymore.
In recent years, many players have adopted a more aggressive approach. For example, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner rarely play defensively and they won all four Grand Slams this year.
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Federer’s Advice:
Alcaraz took home the Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles, while Sinner claimed victories at the Australian Open and US Open. Zverev knows this shift in playstyle is necessary and has tried to be more aggressive this year.
However, during critical moments, Zverev often falls back into his old defensive habits. Federer thinks that for Zverev to win a Grand Slam, he must take control of the points more aggressively.
“When I watch him play,” Federer said, “I see someone who plays far too passively in decisive moments. Against top players, you need to be offensive.”
Fans might think that Zverev just needs to trust himself more.
“There’s not much missing,” Federer added. “But to win a Grand Slam you have to trust your shots and play offensively.”
Zverev knows what went wrong against Taylor Fritz; he admitted it after their match. To beat players like Fritz or Alcaraz, he needs to attack more and put pressure on them.
He didn’t manage that against Fritz or Alcaraz in the Roland Garros final. When asked about Federer’s comments before the 2024 Laver Cup, Zverev agreed with him completely.
“It’s absolutely clear I didn’t play how I wanted,” Zverev said about his performance against Fritz. “That’s why what Roger said is okay.”
What do you think? Can Zverev change his game enough to win a Grand Slam?
