World No.2 Alexander Zverev is aiming to close the gap on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and believes that he has everything in him to shed the "third guy" tag.
Alexander Zverev was speaking after going down to World No.1 Jannik Sinner in the final of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships in London on Sunday.
The German suffered a 7-6 (9-7), 6-7 (2-7), 3-6, 3-4 loss to the Italian, who successfully defended the Wimbledon title. "There was always this conversation, 'Who will be the third guy?'," the 29-year-old said after the summit clash against Sinner.
"I've always been the third guy, but I was just far away from those two. I've always been No. 3 in a way. So if I get closer to them, if I can be in the mix competing and winning the big tournaments, it would be great," he added.
Alexander Zverev on playing aggressive tennis
Zverev has gradually transformed into a more aggressive player, producing mixed results earlier in the season.
"I've said it at the beginning of the year, and I've stuck to it. That's the tennis I want to play. That's the game style I want to play," he said.
"There were matches at the beginning of the year where I was struggling a bit more with this style, but I was consistently doing it. The more I do it, the better I'll become.
"I won a Grand Slam for the first time in my career in Paris. I made it to the finals here for the first time in my career. Of course, something has to be working," he explained.
Zverev won the 2026 French Open by beating Flavio Cobolli in the final, and that was the German's maiden Grand Slam title.
‘I’ve pushed them to the limits': Zverev on Sinner and Alcaraz
By comparison, Carlos Alcaraz has seven Grand Slam singles titles, whereas Jannik Sinner has five. While Zverev hasn't beaten either of them this year, he believes he has pushed both to their limits.
"I think I've been pushing those guys. I haven't beaten them this year, but I've pushed them to the limits," he said. "Alcaraz in Australia, Jannik here. Even though it was four sets, I think it was a very close four sets, which could have gone five as well," added the Hamburg-born athlete.
Zverev has shown a significant improvement on grass courts. Prior to the 2026 Wimbledon championships, he hadn’t gone past the fourth round at the tournament. He utilised his forehand to the fullest against Sinner on Sunday to keep the Italian at bay.
When I have the opportunity, I hit it," Zverev said.
"Whether I make it or miss it, that depends on the day. But I definitely go for it. That's my goal, that's my aim for this year, that's my aim for hopefully the rest of my career,” he added.
