Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs explains why Alexander Zverev shouldn't be World No. 2

Serena Williams' former coach, Rennae Stubbs, offered a harsh take on Alexander Zverev's ranking. According to the renowned analyst, the German ATP star doesn't deserve the current spot, as Carlos Alcaraz remains her personal favorite. She also predicted that the current scenario might change as the season approaches the next major event at Roland Garros.

Zverev reclaimed the World No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings on April 21, 2025. This resulted from his commendable victory at the BMW Open in Munich. The German ATP star kicked off the 2025 season with surprising results, making it to the finals in Melbourne. However, he missed yet another chance to secure his maiden Grand Slam title with a defeat against Jannik Sinner.

Amid his entry in the Italian Open after a disappointing defeat against Francisco Cerundolo in Rome, Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs offered her take. The renowned mentor mentioned how she thought that the German player was not worthy of his ranking, citing his failure to win high-stakes matches as the reason behind her statement.

"Zverev is, of course, number two seed in Rome. I don't know his ranking being at two. Hopefully that changes by the French Open, because he doesn't deserve to be number two in the world. He just doesn't. He has not turned up for the big matches," she said, in a recent episode of the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.

The 54-year-old also mentioned how he could prove to be an exception, laying a victory over Carlos Alcaraz as the biggest challenge ahead of him.

"If Zverev does beat Carlos, or if he gets through to the finals here or wins Rome, it's a totally different story. You don't get there without winning a lot of matches. He never wins the big matches," she added.

Alexander Zverev holds the World No. 2 spot, but with a minor gap of 235 points against Carlos Alcaraz. The upcoming Masters 1000 event in Rome will determine if the German defends his spot or the Spaniard takes over.

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Alexander Zverev expresses confidence in his worthiness for the World No. 2 spot

Alexander Zverev at the Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2025 - Day Two - Source: Getty

Alexander Zverev expressed optimism over his rise in the world rankings. Manifesting the glorious feeling of holding the top spot, the German player expressed his eagerness to be there soon. He also had a firm response to critics, believing in the genuine nature of the ranking points system.

"World No. 1? It would be nice, I have not been there. I believe I will, so we'll see how it goes. I'm there [No. 2] because I won tournaments. I'm there because I have results. The ranking system doesn't lie. You get points for winning matches, you get points for winning titles," he said, in a pre-event press conference at the Italian Open.

Currently seeking resurgence in his form, Alexander Zverev is all set to defend his title at the Italian Open. The German player's opening match is scheduled for Friday, May 9.