"He is not as convinced of himself": Boris Becker identifies reason behind Alexander Zverev’s recent struggles

Former world number one Boris Becker has identified a problem in Alexander Zverev’s play after a series of disappointing performances. The 27-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best players currently playing men’s tennis in the singles category, started the year brilliantly, finishing as the runners-up in the first Grand Slam of the year—the Australian Open.

He lost to the reigning world number one, Italy’s Jannik Sinner, in the final in straight sets, with a score of 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. It was his third defeat in the final of a Grand Slam. Since then, the reigning world number two has struggled to produce results on the court.

He lost in the quarterfinals of the Argentina Open and the Rio Open, in the round of 16 of the Mexican Open, in the round of 64 of the Indian Wells, and in the round of 16 of the recently concluded Miami Open. Former world number one Becker was recently quoted in a report by Tennis 365, where he highlighted that Zverev’s struggles on the court have more to do with his mental attitude.

“I always start with it, with the mental attitude,” he said. "He is not as convinced of himself at the moment as he was in Melbourne or as he was at the end of last year. Can you train something like that? I know in Florida, there are the best training centres for forehand and backhand, for fitness, but is there also a school for mentality, for self-confidence, for inner peace, for inner faith? I don’t think so, and that’s something where I think a little that he just has to look there, who can take him further, who can help him there, because ultimately for me that is the difference between victory and defeat with him at the moment.”\

Becker further went on to talk about Zverev’s display in the recent events and believes that his performance at the Miami Open was better than in other recent competitions. “I think Miami was better,” said the six-time Grand Slam winner. “I was a little worried that between Indian Wells and Miami, he would take refuge somewhere in the desert and take a break. But he probably went to Florida to his second home, then trained even more, which I can’t even imagine, and really played better against Jordan Thompson and Co. He plays against Arthur Fils, he has already lost to him in Hamburg, that can happen, this Frenchman, 20 years young, so extremely strong. But he had a break in the third and then lost. With serve, with a break in the third, you are actually on the winning track. He had a break in the third against the Argentine [Francisco] Comesana in Rio. He served against [Tallon] Griekspoor in Indian Wells for the match. He has now lost with a break in the third again, so that has nothing to do with the forehand or the fitness.”