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.
David Ferrer is a former tennis player from Spain. With the exception of a major, Ferrer has won tournaments at every level of the ATP Tour (ATP 250, ATP 500, Masters 1000), and he currently holds the seventh-highest career prize money earnings among all male tennis players. Ferrer has won three Davis Cups with Spain (not adjusting for inflation). Ferrer has also surpassed Brian Gottfried, who had held the record for 32 years, as the player with the most victories on the ATP Tour without having claimed a major.
Ivan Lendl is a former tennis pro who is Czech-American. He is frequently cited as one of tennis’s all-time greats. Lendl won 94 singles titles while holding the No. 1 singles ranking in the world for 270 weeks. He was the first man to compete in 19 major finals. He won eight major singles titles and finished second a record-tying 11 times (tied with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic). Lendl also competed in an unprecedented eight straight US Open finals and took home seven year-end titles.
Alexander Zverev’s tennis coach, Ferrero, began his duties in July 2017 when Zverev was ranked No. 11 in the world. Their collaboration came to an end in February 2018 as a result of various disagreements. 2019 saw the beginning of Ferrero’s coaching of 16-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. As of September 2022, their collaboration had resulted in six ATP Tour victories, including the major championship at the 2022 US Open and two Masters 1000 victories in Miami and Madrid. The Juan Carlos Ferrero Tennis Academy in Alicante, southern Spain, serves as their primary training facility.
