NEW YORK – Novak Djokovic never faced the burden of chasing a first Grand Slam the way Alexander Zverev does today.
The Serb lifted his first major in 2008, when at the end of January he snapped the streak of 11 consecutive titles won by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. He was 20 years old.
Djokovic never felt the anguish that now haunts Zverev. Tournaments pass, years go by, eras change, and the most consistent player of his generation keeps piling up disappointments on the biggest stages. It will only get worse, reflects the Paris 2024 Olympic champion.
“You see a guy like Zverev, who’s been in multiple Grand Slam finals, and he’s built up so much pressure on himself and everyone around him to win. Everyone knows he’s got everything it takes to be a Grand Slam champion, but he still hasn’t made it,” said the former world No.1.
“The longer it goes, the worse it becomes, and the more weight you feel on your shoulders,” Djokovic added after beating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to reach his 64th Grand Slam quarter-final. He is among the last eight in New York for the 14th time in his career.
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Zverev, meanwhile, bowed out in the third round, dominated by Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime.
What went wrong this time?
Throughout the season, Zverev blamed hostile crowds, balls, weather conditions and even hotel food for some of his defeats.
In Flushing Meadows, it was his baseline game that collapsed. “There wasn’t a single shot I felt comfortable with from anywhere: forehand, backhand. My backhand was completely off this week. My Grand Slam performance this year was disappointing,” the German told the ATP website.
And the weight on his shoulders will only grow heavier as the years go by.
Djokovic, for his part, will now face Taylor Fritz for a place in the semi-finals.
