"You don't have Nadal, Federer or Djokovic" - Alexander Zverev's brother questions 'consistency' of current-gen tennis players

Alexander Zverev's brother Mischa recently cited Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic's past dominance to question the 'consistency' of the current generation of men's tennis players. The 38-year-old expressed uncertainty over this perceived inconsistency as he looked ahead to the future of the sport.

Speaking on a recently-released episode of the Courtside Capital podcast, former World No. 25 Mischa Zverev initially cast his mind back to the era before the dominance of the 'Big Three' began, saying:

"Every Grand Slam, there was a new champion, which is great."

However, he soon began to focus on the present and spoke up about the absence of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard and the Swiss have retired, and while the Serb continues playing, he has found it increasingly tough over the last couple of years to keep up with the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

"But you don't have that Rafa Nadal in Paris. You don't have Roger or Novak or someone who's like, okay, they've won 10 already. See if someone can be as good as they are. Now, it's like every week there's a new champion and they're not as consistent, I feel like. And I don't know if it's good for the sport, bad for the sport," Mischa Zverev added.

"My rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic were more intense than the one they had with each other" - Rafael Nadal in 2024

Novak Djokovic (left), Roger Federer (center) and Rafael Nadal (right) at the 2025 French Open (Source: Getty)

In a 2024 interview with AS, Rafael Nadal spoke up about the fierce rivalries he shared over the years with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard opined that the ones he shared with the Swiss and the Serb were "more intense" compared to the one shared by the latter two.

"I think, and I don’t know why, that my rivalries with both of them were more intense than the one they had with each other. I’m not sure why, but I feel like the world sees it that way too. Maybe with Roger, it was because our styles and approaches to the sport were so contrasting. And with Novak, it was an incredible challenge," the Spaniard said.

While Federer officially retired at the 2022 Laver Cup, the Spaniard bid an emotional farewell to tennis after an unsuccessful outing for his nation at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals. Djokovic remains the only active member on the tour from the 'Big Three', but the Serb's participation at events in recent years has become increasinly limited, as he has focused primarily on the Majors and a handful of other prestigious tournaments.