Zverev, the enfant terrible who has revolutionized world tennis
The German wins his second Grand Slam in half a year at the US Open confirming that this is his year
BarcelonaEverything was set for Carlos Alcaraz to be the US Open champion for the third time, making a triumphant return after months of being injured. But the one who has reigned in New York is Alexander Zverev. The German, for years the player who carried a curse according to which he would never win a major tournament, has shaken off his fears in a 2026 where he has surprised everyone, winning two Grand Slam titles. First in Paris and now at Flushing Meadows, by defeating the American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, and 6-2.
The year 2026 was supposed to be the one of the great duel between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the two young men who occupy the space left by Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Five men who have been eclipsing men like Zverev over these years, who seemed condemned to ostracism. But 2026 will end and the one who has won the most important titles will be the player from Hamburg, current world number 2. Of the four major tournaments, three have seen Sasha in the final. At Wimbledon he fell to Sinner, but he has won the other two finals.
With a reputation for being bad-tempered, until recently Zverev was a protagonist for fighting with opponents and referees. Accused twice by two ex-partners of gender-based violence, the German is not the type of player that brands like. One can praise his game. Little else. Born in Hamburg, he was destined to shine with a racket, as both his parents were internationals with the Soviet Union. Both left for Germany, abandoning Russia with the fall of the USSR, coaching both Alexander and his brother Mischa. A man who, on his way to 30 years old, seemed he would never do anything. Until this 2026, in which the injuries of Alcaraz and Sinner have played in his favor.
The curse of the 90s
With the title in New York, Zverev becomes the player with the most 'Grand Slams' won who was born in the 1990s, a generation overshadowed by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. Only two titles, but of great importance for Zverev. Only the Austrian Dominic Thiem and the Russian Daniil Medvedev, with one title each, both in New York, are the other players from that decade with 'majors' in their record. Thiem's was precisely against Zverev, who back then managed to lead 2-0 in the final before collapsing. Against Shelton, the German did not fail.
"We went thirteen years without winning a 'major' and now we have won two in three months. I believe that God has seen everything we have worked for, how much we have suffered, how much pain we have endured, and I believe that 2026 is the result of all the previous years in which we have gone through all of this," said the German after touching the sky in Paris, there where in 2020 his heart was broken into a thousand pieces. Now redemption has arrived for him.
