Germany’s tennis star Alexander Zverev has revealed that he would not prefer playing in any ATP 500 or 1000 event over the Olympics. The mega-event is set to be organised from July 26 to August in the French capital city of Paris, where thousands of players from different countries will compete in different sports to secure the ultimate glory for their respective countries.
Zverev was recently quoted in a report confirming his participation in the mega-event. The current world number four highlighted the poor communication between the ATP and Olympics management but stated that he would never prefer playing in any ATP event over a competition like the Olympics, where there is so much pride at stake.
“The ITF or the Olympics are not best friends with the ATP, that’s not a secret,” he said. “Everybody continues their own tour. Yes, the Olympics is one of the, if not the, most important events we have in sports. So, the best players in the world are always going to play the Olympics over anything else, over points and over prize money. It’s about prestige, it’s not about points or money. It’s about winning these kinds of titles and having medals for your country. That’s what it’s about. I would never choose to play a 500 event over the Olympics.”
Zverev is having a very good season at the highest level, producing impressive performances. The Hamburg-born star’s most impressive performance this season came in the Rome Masters, where he lifted the title after beating Nicolas Jarry in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-5. He also played in the final of the French Open, where he lost to Spain’s young tennis sensation and current world number three Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thrilling contest with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. Zverev is currently playing in the Hamburg Open, where he has already booked his place in the semifinal after beating China’s Zhang Zhizhen in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-3.
1 - Since the ATP rankings were first published in 1973, Alexander Zverev is the first ATP top 10 player to lose matches from two sets up (exc. retirements) at three GS events - US Open F 2020, Australian Open SF 2024, Wimbledon R16 2024. Block. #Wimbledon | @Wimbledon @atptour
