Alexander Zverev's opponents know how to play against him, says Boris Becker

According to tennis great Boris Becker, Alexander Zverev's opponents have figured out how to play against him. Becker believes Zverev should now take pointers from younger players instead of looking at the Big 3 for inspiration.

Zverev suffered a severe injury during the semifinals of the 2022 French Open, causing him to tear all three lateral ligaments in his right ankle. That put him out of the game for seven months, dropping him from his third-place ranking to No. 22.

Despite his efforts to get back on track, Zverev has struggled to regain his form and currently has a 12-12 record in 2023.

Speaking on the Das Gelbe vom Ball podcast, Becker expressed concern for Alexander Zverev. The six-time Slam champion claimed that Zverev was at the top of his game before the injury but was now struggling to return to his best.

"Tennis changes every 18 months. You always have to improve accordingly," Becker said. "You get the impression that he hasn't improved and the opponents know exactly how they have to play against Sascha in 2023. That is a problem. A year ago, he beat [Carlos] Alcaraz in Paris and was on his way to beating the unbeatable Nadal, and possibly Ruud in the final. Sascha would have become the new No. 1."

Becker, however, praised Zverev for never making excuses about his losses.

"That's in the past, and 12 months later, the stark reality is brutal. He is fit again but can't manage to match the form he had a year ago. He is honest with himself and doesn't blame bad luck, bad fortune, wind or too hot a sun - but the fact that he doesn't play enough. In my opinion, Zverev is not playing tennis properly at the moment," he added.

The former World No. 1 also claimed that Alexnader Zverev needed to move past Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, and start learning from Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune and Taylor Fritz.

"The focus now is no longer on the Big 3," Becker said. "Sascha is, unfortunately, being a bit overtaken by the younger players. We have talked a lot about Alcaraz, but I also mention Sinner, Rune and Fritz. He now has to look at why the new generation of players mentioned is so good, what they do better and what is different."

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Alexander Zverev to face David Goffin in Italian Open R2

Alexander Zverev

19th-seed Alexander Zverev is set to face World No. 107 David Goffin in the second round of the 2023 Italian Open on Saturday, May 13. This will be the fifth meeting between the two players, with the head-to-head record currently at 2-2.

Zverev won the Rome title in 2017, and also beat Goffin in the 2018 Italian Open quarterfinals. The winner of their match will advance to face either Hubert Hurkacz or J.J. Wolf in the third round.