Alexander Zverev recently reflected on his experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics, contrasting it with his triumph at the 2021 Tokyo Games, where he won the gold medal. Zverev expressed a clear preference for the Tokyo Olympics, where he achieved his greatest Olympic success, over the Paris edition, which he found challenging both on and off the court.
In an interview following his victory at the Canadian Open, Zverev shared his thoughts on the differences between the two Olympic Games. “I prefer Tokyo. I prefer winning the gold, obviously. It’s always special to be part of the Olympics. This year was strange because it was at Roland Garros, a place we know extremely well. At the same time, it was very different.”
Zverev acknowledged that his time in Paris was marred by physical struggles, which affected his performance. He did not advance to the medal rounds, a disappointing outcome for the German player who had high hopes of competing for another medal. He also voiced his frustrations with the living conditions in the Olympic Village, noting that they were less than ideal.
“The Olympic Village wasn’t the greatest. I have to admit that. I struggled a bit with the food and with sleeping. No AC in the room, which was a bit difficult for me. It was the same for everybody, no complaining there, but in those regards, Tokyo was a lot better,” Zverev remarked.
The absence of air conditioning and the limited facilities in the rooms were particularly challenging for Zverev, especially given the high summer temperatures in Paris. Despite these difficulties, Zverev emphasized that his frustrations were shared by many athletes, and it was a common topic of discussion during the Games. Notably, some athletes, including the roommates of tennis player Coco Gauff, chose to stay in hotels instead of the Village. However, Zverev was unable to do so due to a policy enforced by the German Federation, which required athletes to stay in the Olympic Village.
Despite the challenges, Zverev highlighted the positive aspects of his experience, particularly the opportunity to interact with other athletes, including gymnastics legend Simone Biles. “It was a great experience being with all the athletes there. Being in the Olympic Village, but of course, winning is always the most fun, and I didn’t do that this time,” Zverev concluded.
While the Paris Olympics did not yield the results Zverev had hoped for, he still appreciated the unique experience of participating in the Games. As the Olympics only occur every four years, Zverev noted that such opportunities are rare and valuable, even if they do not always result in victory. He now looks forward to the possibility of competing in the next Olympic Games, set to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
Zverev in Montreal, ranking, and results in 2024
Ranked no.4, the German owns a compiled 49-14 match record in 2024. The German is currently having a run in Montreal where he overcame the world no.30 Jordan Thompson 6-1 6-1 and the world no.17 Holger Rune 6-3 7-6(5).
Alexander Zverev will face the world no.19 Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Round Robin on Sunday at 2:00 pm on CENTER COURT. Their actual head to head record is 6-2 for Zverev.
Zverev clinched 2 titles in 2024 in Australia and Rome. Alexander got to the final at the French Open and in Hamburg (Hamburg Open).
Zverev won 23 titles in his career: 8 on hard courts, 8 on clay courts and 7 on indoor courts. (See the list of his titles)
Zverev is scheduled to compete next in Cincinnati (Western & Southern Open). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 12th of August.
Alexander Zverev |
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