Zverev under no illusion at task at hand after reaching third round at Olympic Games: "I know the matches and opponents get tougher"
ATP
Alexander Zverev moved into the third round at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games where Nikoloz Basilashvili awaits after he eased past Daniel Elahi Galan 6-2, 6-2.
Zverev after two fairly simple wins is under no illusion though at the task in hand that awaits as his medal chase hots up.
“I played well, and I felt quite good on court, but I know the matches and opponents get tougher from now,” Zverev said. “I’ve got to play the same way and maybe compete even better. Some of the guys won’t let me play as well. That’s what the top guys do – they always find a way to disturb your rhythm a little bit. But yeah, today I had a good rhythm.
“Maybe he was a bit nervous, came out and didn’t know what to expect too much. From the first point on I thought – and this is the most important for me – I need to focus on myself. I know that I have quite a big game, I know I can hit winners, I can overpower people, and when I’m doing that, things work out well for me.”
On representing Germany
He also discussed his pride of representing Germany and the Olympic spirit not only around their team but others.
“It means a lot, to be honest,” he continued. “You’re not only playing for yourself, you’re playing for your whole country, for everybody that is watching in Germany, and the other athletes here.
“I’m having a lot of fun, because I meet athletes I see on TV all the time, and some of the guys even come up to me themselves to say they watched this match or that match, and I tell them it’s funny because I’ve been a fan of theirs for multiple years!
“We’re living in a room with six people, but it’s all part of it, and I think everybody’s enjoying it a lot. We are all welcoming our medallists into our house, so that would be quite a special feeling.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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