ZVEREV Alexander

General
TOKYO AMBITION
After missing the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro due to injury, he has set his sights on competing in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles events at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. "Triple burden does not matter, this is the Olympics. When the Olympics take place, I'll also play." (essentiallysports.com, 21 May 2021; ubitennis.net, 11 May 2021)

FIRST GRAND SLAM FINAL
He competed in his first Grand Slam singles final at the 2020 US Open, where he held a two-set lead over Austrian Dominic Thiem before losing in five sets. "I was super close to being a Grand Slam champion. I don't think it's my last chance. I do believe that I will be a Grand Slam champion at some point. That loss made me in a way even hungrier. I was two points away from winning my first Grand Slam title at the US Open, but I didn't at the end of the day. In a way, this year [2021] I feel like I'm more motivated than ever to do well. I'm trying to improve every single aspect of the game to give myself the best chance that I can have. I feel like I'm building towards that." (eurosport.co.uk, 23 Mar 2021; atptour.com, 14 Sep 2020)

FATHER COACH
He has been coached by his father Alexander Zverev Sr. throughout his career and does not believe he needs a former Grand Slam champion as a coach to help him succeed. "It's not true that you must be coached by former Grand Slam winners to win a major [Grand Slam tournament]. Just look at Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and Novak [Djokovic]. My father is the best coach, I will stay with him." (firstsportz.com, 27 Jun 2021; vbetnews.com, 08 Aug 2019)

REPRESENTING GERMANY
Born in Hamburg, Germany, to Russian parents, he says he is proud of his Russian roots but always had ambitions of representing Germany. "I won't play for any other country. I was born and raised in Germany, I went to school there and I have German friends. Yes, I have Russian origins and there's also something Russian about me. The fact that you don't give up, that you don't stop fighting, that's part of being Russian." (tennismajors.com, 10 Jun 2021)