“Dog training and golf”: Alexander Zverev criticises Ivan Lendl’s coaching priorities

Alexander Zverev has launched harsh criticism against his former coach, Ivan Lendl. The eight-time Grand Slam champion joined Zverev’s team in August 2018, but the partnership ended in July 2019, reportedly due to personal differences.

Years later, Zverev has revealed details of his relationship with Lendl, making it clear that he was dissatisfied with the former world No. 1’s approach to coaching, accusing him of being more concerned with off-court matters. “He got a new dog and was showing him how to go to the toilet. That was really his main topic. And golf,” Zverev said.

Zverev blasts Lendl’s focus 

This isn’t the first time Zverev has made similar comments about Lendl. During the 2019 Hamburg Open, Zverev expressed frustration over Lendl’s passion for golf interfering with training sessions. “We talked about it and I told him to concentrate on tennis more. Sometimes we go to the tennis court, the training is two hours long, and for half-an-hour he stands with his back to me talking about the way he played golf the morning before.”

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Currently, Zverev has his father as part of his team and acknowledged that this has been the best solution for him. However, he remains open to hiring a new coach in the future. “Yes, but the right person has to be there. I’m not going to just take anyone just because I or others think it’s right. I’ve done it; I’ve tried to work with many people,” he explained.

“But I found that only one person really helped me a lot. David Ferrer really helped me. Working with anyone else was not a real success.”

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Ivan Lendl, 64, has coached players like Andy Murray (2011–2014; 2016–2017; 2022–2023) and Zverev (2018–2019). After parting ways with Murray, Lendl had stepped away from coaching but recently joined Hubert Hurkacz’s team as co-coach, working alongside double Olympic gold medallist Nicolas Massu, the former coach of Dominic Thiem.