Party night in Munich: BMW Open with Alexander Zverev and the celebrities of the jungle camp

His first match at the BMW Open? Alexander Zverev feels like it was yesterday. He lost 1:6, 2:6 against Austrian Jürgen Schmelzer and “had no chance,” as he himself admits. However, that was ten years ago. On Saturday, when the semi-finals come at the BMW Open, Zverev will be celebrating his 27th birthday. “

The German number one has been playing very well for a while, so it is understandable when Zverev says: “I am happy with what I have already achieved.” But that doesn’t mean he’s happy, on the contrary. Zverev still has a lot to do and he knows what is still missing: a Grand Slam victory and a place at the top of the world rankings.

Zverev on the injury crisis against Nadal: “Something like 2022 cannot happen again”

Two years ago he was very close to this goal. “I only needed one win to be number one,” he recalls. But he later fell in the semi-finals of the French Open against Rafael Nadal and was unable to complete what was probably the best match of his career to date, and was instead sidelined for months with seven ligament tears. “Something like 2022 cannot happen again,” says Zverev today.

As for the yet-to-be-missed Grand Slam victory, he believes he is “on the right track,” as he says: “This year, too, I was only two points away from the Grand Slam final,” he says of the incredible defeat against Daniil. Medvedev at the Australian Open. Most recently he was knocked out in the last 16 at the Masters in Monte Carlo against tournament winner Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, he was now satisfied with his first season on clay. It always takes him longer to adapt from a hard court to a new situation: “For me it’s normal that I start playing well in weeks three and four. I hope it will be the same this year.”

Zverev is happy about the BMW Open: “I had an amazing feeling here”

In the BMW Open he wants to win his third title after 2017 and 2018 and to make amends for the last few years in which he was eliminated early: “I hope that I can change the situation and play for the title again. This is a special tournament. . I’ve had a wonderful feeling here. ” He hasn’t missed a match since he started playing in 2014, “and I hope I never miss one in my career.” Music to the ears of tournament director Patrik Kühnen.

Doctors advise against competitive sports: Tennis star Zverev talks about his …

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After a bye in the first round, the number one seed will face Austria’s Juri Rodionov on Wednesday. The 24-year-old left-hander was ranked 87th in the world five years ago, is now ranked 118th and defeated Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6:2, 6:3 in the first match. If Zverev clears this hurdle, it will be against the winner of the Cristian Garín/Alex Michelsen match, before the possibility of Taylor Fritz or Jack Draper awaits.

“Power couple” Zverev and Thomalla about wanting to have children: “Let’s see”

But that is a matter for the future. His future was also discussed at the Players Party on Monday evening at the Golden Raquet Club at the MTTC Iphitos facility. Sascha Zverev/Sophia Thomalla twice, celebrated by the tabloids as a “power couple”, were interviewed about the desire to have children. The evasive answer from both: “We’ll see.”

Zverev knows that his existence as a tennis professional has an end: “I won’t be able to live this life forever,” he says, “the older I get, the more I appreciate it. I just love being a tennis professional.”

In addition to Alexander Zverev and Sophia Thomalla, two former Munich players Giulia Siegel and Fabio Knez also attended the Players’ Night. Also there: Yvonne Catterfeld, Carpendales and Jens Lehmann. You can find celebrity photos in our photo gallery above.