Zverev won a gold medal in the men's singles event, which has managed to elude those two superstars in an individual capacity.
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Rarely does one get an opportunity to achieve something that neither Roger Federer nor Novak Djokovic have managed over the course of their illustrious careers. However, German tennis star Alexander Zverev boasts of one such unique milestone, having recorded the same during the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics. Zverev won a gold medal in the men’s singles event, which has managed to elude those two superstars in an individual capacity. However, achieving noteworthy feats is no rarity for the German who emerged as the champion in the 2018 edition of the ATP Finals, which made him the youngest winner at the year-end championship in a decade. Zverev further presents a strong challenge to the ‘Big Four’ which includes Federer, Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray, being the only player barring those names to have recorded five ATP Masters 1000 titles.
The German has won 17 singles titles so far at the age of 24, which is an indication of his prowess. While many tennis players were finding their feet at this stage of their lives, Zverev has hit the ground running showcasing his talent. The same was evident in his performances during the 2020 edition of the US Open, with the German delivering a fine display. Djokovic was defaulted during his fourth-round encounter against Pablo Carreño Busta, after hitting a ball out of frustration which went on to hit a line judge in the throat. This disqualification opened up an avenue for a first-time Grand Slam finalist, with Zverev seizing the opportunity with both hands.
The German advanced on to the semi-finals in four sets, setting up an encounter against Busta who had advanced in five sets. Zverev pulled off a comeback win after being two sets down, setting up the final against Dominic Thiem. The German was the clear underdog but showcased great confidence, taking an early advantage with wins in the first and second sets. However, Thiem executed a soaring turnaround which witnessed a close finale with the German eventually finishing second best.
Two of the best the sport has to offer right now, Zverev and Djokovic have entertained fans with a number of high octane tennis matches for quite a while. The two have faced each other 10 times with Djokovic taking the lion’s share of the wins. The Serbian has seven compared to Zverev’s three. Djokovic has won every single Grand Slam tie against the German but Zverev holds an Olympics win over the world no. 1.
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| Total matches | Matches won by Zverev | Matches won by Djokovic |
| 10 | 3 | 7 |
A shocking fact about the rivalry between Zverev and Medvedev is that they have never faced each other in a Grand Slam so far. However, their rivalry is still one of the most intense and tight in the sport today. The two have faced each other nine times so far and Zverev has won five of those matches.
| Total matches | Matches won by Zverev | Matches won by Medvedev |
| 9 | 5 | 3 |
Zverev and Tsitsipas also share a fine rivalry. The two have faced one another nine times so far and the Greek has won six of those encounters. They have faced each other once at Roland Garros and Tsitsipas had taken a thrilling five-set victory.
| Total matches | Matches won by Zverev | Matches won by Tsitsipas |
| 9 | 3 | 6 |
