"A parent is the best support, if used correctly, but they can also ruin your career" - Alexander Zverev warned about dangers of father coaching him

Alexander Zverev's quest for a Grand Slam title is still ongoing. His chances of lifting silverware are slowly draining away with each passing major. Many people have queried on how he will achieve this goal, with Spanish businessman Pancho Campo believing that he should part way from his father as his coach.

The world number three has been guided by his dad, Alexander Snr, for most of his career, throughout his younger years and into his senior. After failed stints with the likes of Juan Carlos Ferrero, Ivan Lendl and David Ferrer saw him turn back to his father in 2021.

While it has been a relationship which has seen a lot of success, it has not yet brought a major title back home. As good as the German is, he is yet to taste the sweet success of becoming a Grand Slam champion. He has come close in the past, leading Dominic Thiem by two sets in the 2020 US Open final before being heartbreakingly pegged back by the Austrian for his first and only Grand Slam title. Four years later, he found himself 2-1 ahead of Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Roland Garros final but could not get the job done, winning just three games in the final two sets as the Spaniard raced to the finishing line.

His last final came at the start of the year in the Australian Open. He was no match for a ruthless Jannik Sinner who comfortably regained his title in commanding fashion. The 28-year-old will be hoping for another final appearance in Melbourne, but it will not be easy to dethrone Alcaraz or Sinner, which is something that he may need to do in order to finally get his hands on the coveted prize.

Many tennis players stick to family when it comes to coaching. The Williams' sisters, Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas have all had relatives coach them in the past, and that is no different for Zverev. However, many believe this is holding him back from his dream. One of them is Campo, a leading tennis figure.

“Sascha Zverev really intrigues me. He has the physique, the height, the shots… but he doesn’t win Grand Slams. Every time he plays against the top players, he loses. I don’t know what’s going on," he said in an interview with Punto de Break.

He did admit that family is very important, but can result in conflict, labelling them as 'enemies,' using Jennifer Capriati as an example. “For a player, family is always very important, but sometimes parents are their biggest enemies," he continued. "A parent is the best support, if used correctly, but they can also ruin your career. Look at Jennifer Capriati. They didn’t make peace until the day she was inducted into the Hall of Fame. I don’t know Zverev’s case as well, but I think his father should take a step back and let someone else manage his son’s career.”

Zverev's 2025 campaign may have started strong with an Australian Open final but it would not prove to be the season he would have hoped for. While he still sits as world number three, his rivals are gathering behind him ready to pounce if he is unable to defend his ranking points from last year's final.

He could not back it up with many decent results throughout the year. He made just one quarter-final from the other three majors, while winning just one title from four finals he appeared in this year. He will kick off his 2026 season representing Germany in the United Cup. He was a part of the team who won the title in 2024, and will be hoping for a similar result to commence what he will hope to be a great year.