"Beating Djokovic in Tokyo and Turin made me feel invincible"- Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev recently admitted that defeating Novak Djokovic at Tokyo Olympics 2020 and at ATP Finals 2021 made him feel "invincible." The German also believes that along with him, Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev are likely to "dominate" the tour in the upcoming season.

Alexander Zverev was honored with the 2021 German Sportsman of the Year award on Sunday. The German enjoyed a phenomenal 2021 season, winning six titles on the ATP tour and a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. His performances lifted him to a career-high ranking of No. 3.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Zverev said he gained a lot of confidence from his performances in the 2021 season.

"In the last six months it has been Novak, Daniil and I who have dominated and I believe that we will follow that trend throughout the following season. I have gained a lot of confidence with what I have achieved this season, the greatest improvement I have made was mentally," said Zverev.

Zverev clearly hinted that tennis is going through a transition phase and the hegemony of the 'Big 3' is slowly nearing its end. Rafael Nadal won just two titles and Roger Federer featured in only five tournaments this year.

Zverev said beating Djokovic at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the semifinals and denying the Serb a Golden Slam added a spring in his step.

"I feel much more relaxed on the track and willing to show everyone what I am capable of. Beating Djokovic in Tokyo and Turin has made me feel invincible," added the World No. 3 player.

Alexander Zverev reveals his plans ahead for upcoming season

Alexander Zverev spoke about his objectives ahead of the 2022 tennis season during his interaction with EuroSport.

The German said his goals for the upcoming season are to win a Grand Slam and become World No. 1. He hopes that both his dreams come true simultaneously at the 2022 Australian Open.

"I reached objectives when things were worse. If at the end of the day you do not believe in yourself, who will? There are two things I haven't achieved yet. Win Grand Slam and become world number one. I hope all this is already happening in Australia," mentioned Zverev.

Also Read: Alexander Zverev throws weight behind Novak Djokovic in the GOAT debate, says "you can't argue against the statistics"

About the author

Anshul Singh is a Tennis author at Sportskeeda, currently pursuing Journalism Honors from Delhi University. Having significant experience with content, Anshul loves to cover tennis, football, and cricket. He has previously worked as a tennis writer for Essentiallysports and even as an editor for DU Express, penning riveting articles on sports, politics, and culture. Being an ardent follower of the Swiss maestro Roger Federer and Cristiano Ronaldo, Anshul is willing to pay anything to watch them play. Other than sports, Anshul is an ardent debater and has also chaired several Model United Nations across the country.

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Edited by Aditya Singh