Has Zverev's game improved much in the last five years?

[Entername]

Watched these highlights from back in 2017, the year Zverev made his big breakthrough as a top 5-10 player, and the first thing that came to mind is....has Zverev really improved since then?

His game is pretty much the same: He has a massive first serve, a meh second serve that's progressively gotten worse, has a strong BH, an okay FH, and a subpar net game - in fact, he played more aggressive then than now where he's even more passive from the baseline.

His habits are still the same: He's a master in BO3, he still gets tight or gassed in BO5, and he still does that thing with his shirt before every point lmao

In comparison, Medvedev, Stefanos, and FAA have all improved their games mightily from just 3 years ago whereas Zverev's game actually looked more dangerous when he was 19/20 years old than right now.

Then again, Zverev can continue flexing his OLY gold medal so I don't think he's too pressed lol

 

[Tshooter]

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Watched these highlights from back in 2017, the year Zverev made his big breakthrough as a top 5-10 player, and the first thing that came to mind is....has Zverev really improved since then?

His game is pretty much the same: He has a massive first serve, a meh second serve that's progressively gotten worse, has a strong BH, an okay FH, and a subpar net game - in fact, he played more aggressive then than now where he's even more passive from the baseline.

His habits are still the same: He's a master in BO3, he still gets tight or gassed in BO5, and he still does that thing with his shirt before every point lmao

Medvedev, Stefanos, and FAA have all improved their games mightily from just 3 years ago whereas Zverev's game actually looked more dangerous when he was 19/20 years old than right now.

Then again, Zverev can continue flexing his OLY gold medal so I don't think he's too pressed lol

YES! More consistent, better around the net and most of all better in between the ears! He still has more upside IF he can focus. Otherwise lookout for Alcaraz!

 

[The Blond Blur]

 

[TheNachoMan]

He peaked in 2017

 

[Entername]

lmao this graph will never get old

 

[Entername]

YES! More consistent, better around the net and most of all better in between the ears! He still has more upside IF he can focus. Otherwise lookout for Alcaraz!

Is it really though? His net game is still very subpar and his mental game hasn't helped him at the slams (0-11 vs top 10 players at majors and he still wears down in BO5)

He was already a really good BO3 player five years ago (winning Rome and Montreal) just like he is now winning WTFs, Masters and now the Olympic Gold) but in BO5, he's really had nothing to show for still

 

[Kralingen]

Got more consistent with the first serve, a bit more shot tolerance. But also lost something with his FH imo and some of the dynamism and risk taking inherent in his game seems to have gone.

He improved a bit from that AO ‘17 match, some of his Masters levels have been excellent (WTF ‘18 and ‘21, Olympics ‘21, Madrid ‘18, Acapulco ‘21). But in general aside from some enhanced consistency he is not a meaningfully improved player.

 

[TheNachoMan]

I’m beginning to wonder if he’ll even win that many slams. There’s still Djokodal, and then you have the peers of his generation like Medvedev and Tsistipas. And then of course you have the weenie hut jr gen coming up (Sinner, Alcaraz, FAA)
Safin/Wawrinka career seems to be his ceiling.

 

[beltsman]

Better at net, more consistent first serve, FH more consistent and doesn't go AWOL as much.

 

[Third Serve]

Yes but not by nearly as much as he should be.

I still stand by Rome 2017 being his best Masters 1000+ tournament to date.

In fact, as far as peak level goes, Zverev seems to have lowered his since 2018. He's a more consistent player now, at least going by his 2021 season, but you don't see tournaments like the aforementioned Rome 2017, Washington 2018, and his ATP Finals win in 2018 these days.

 

[Jokervich]

Short answer: no

Long answer: nooooooooooooooo

 

[James P]

He's better than 17-18, but only marginally I'd say. He's way better than his awful 19-20 campaigns.

 

[Bender]

His second serve peaked last year or so if you're #ABZ

 

[vex]

Not nearly as much as it SHOULD have. He basically hit the top 100 with a top 5-6 BH, phenomenal movement for his size, decent skills otherwise. The fact that he hasn’t developed an elite serve is just a brutal cap on what his ceiling SHOULD have been.

 

[Fabresque]

2017 was great, 18 not bad, 19 and 20 (besides US Open final) were embarrassing. 21 was good tho. I think his overall level in 17/18 was his highest, and it masked some of those wonky defeats he used to suffer against middling players. During 19/20, he wasn’t playing as good and was still struggling against those players who weren’t top 10 or even 20. Now in 21/22 he’s able to properly dispatch those players with ease and he’s slowly starting to raise his peak back to what it used to be. It’s a sign of maturity in his attitude and game.

 

[MugOpponent]

His forehand is an embarrassment. Very American comment here, but I don't understand how anyone could have a weaker FH than they do a backhand. That makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Shaolin]

No and I'm fine with that. The less we see of this guy the better.

 

[Third Serve]

His forehand is an embarrassment. Very American comment here, but I don't understand how anyone could have a weaker FH than they do a backhand. That makes absolutely no sense.

Eh, Zed's forehand is still better than his backhand. This is true of like 99% of players on the tour. It's just a mediocre forehand relative to forehands.

Only players with truly, truly terrible forehands like Gasquet or Paire probably have better backhands than forehands.

 

[gjm127]

Nah son. He peaked in Montreal: Rogers Cup 2017.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

He's improved greatly at overrating himself

 

[StringStrungStrang]

Is it really though? His net game is still very subpar and his mental game hasn't helped him at the slams (0-11 vs top 10 players at majors and he still wears down in BO5)

He was already a really good BO3 player five years ago (winning Rome and Montreal) just like he is now winning WTFs, Masters and now the Olympic Gold) but in BO5, he's really had nothing to show for still

He is now capable of beating anyone at any tournament. That was definitely not the case before. He stepped up from the latter part of 2021, of course just recently he fell apart at the AO. Still think he is on an upward path.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I’m beginning to wonder if he’ll even win that many slams.

Why do you assume he'll win any? Just re-watch him trying to serve out the 2020 USO. A pathetic choke and he's gotten worse since then, thank God.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Only players with truly, truly terrible forehands like Gasquet or Paire probably have better backhands than forehands.

No... Here's an ATG who had a vastly superior BH compared to his FH.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Eh, Zed's forehand is still better than his backhand. This is true of like 99% of players on the tour. It's just a mediocre forehand relative to forehands.

Only players with truly, truly terrible forehands like Gasquet or Paire probably have better backhands than forehands.

A glaring omission of Mugvedev here.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Zverev's level in 2020-21 slams was his BO5 peak. He'd already peaked in BO3 in 2017-18 (Rome, Madrid, YEC). That's it, he won't get any better since he's a wuss mug. Sad but true.

 

[weakera]

He's more consistent.

 

[ibbi]

He's better at best of five, better between the ears, has definitely gotten stronger physically to go with that too. The second serve is more of an up and down thing. It still falls apart every now and then (Wimbledon last year) but it's not the consistent nightmare it was a couple of years ago.

 

[Ace of Aces]

His forehand had more bad days than good 5 years ago.

 

[onefineday]

I think he did. But I also think he peaked in 2021.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

I'd say he's improved in the consistency department but regressed in everything else, including agression and the conviction to finish the points.

 

[StringStrungStrang]

No... Here's an ATG who had a vastly superior BH compared to his FH.

Agreed, you are definitely no fool on the hill!

 

[Poisoned Slice]

 

[Tshooter]

How many coaches have fired Zed in that time period? Lendl, Ferrero and Ferrer come to mine. Am I missing any?