Alexander Zverev has long been one of the most successful players of his generation, yet he continues to face skepticism from fans and media. Despite winning Olympic gold, multiple ATP Finals titles, and collecting 24 career trophies, the German has often been portrayed as falling short of “greatness.” In 2025, Zverev admitted to struggling with motivation and mental challenges, which only fueled negative narratives about his career.

Andy Roddick defends Zverev

Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick has spoken out against the way Zverev is treated. “I’m kind of sick, look, you might not be a fan of Sascha [Zverev] for reasons, and things that have happened off court, but there have been people on different podcasts, who are treating him like he’s not a great player, and that pisses me off,” Roddick said. He highlighted Zverev’s consistency, noting, “24 titles, he’s made World Tour Finals, every year he hasn’t been hurt for the last nine years.”

Roddick also warned against dismissing players simply because of the rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. “Because Carlos and Jannik are so good, I don’t want to ever get to the place where anyone who’s not them is treated like a piece of crap, that’s ridiculous,” he added.

Chris Eubanks adds perspective

American player Chris Eubanks echoed Roddick’s frustration, pushing back against claims that Zverev is not good enough. “Zverev is incredible on the serve and has one of the best backhands I have ever seen,” Eubanks said. While he acknowledged that criticism can sometimes motivate athletes, he insisted that dismissing Zverev’s talent is unfair.

Zverev’s path forward

Zverev has openly discussed his struggles with motivation and the importance of working with a sports psychologist to regain focus. His determination to bounce back reflects the resilience required at the highest level of tennis. The German remains confident that he can return to winning form and prove his critics wrong.

Looking ahead to the new season

The upcoming season offers Zverev and many other players a chance to reset and showcase their full potential. Periods of crisis are part of every athlete’s journey, but the ability to believe in oneself and silence critics often defines long-term success. For Zverev, the challenge is not proving he belongs among the best—his record already shows that—but reminding the tennis world of the greatness he continues to embody.

Alexander Zverev in 2025

Ranked world no.3, the German played his last match on the 20^th of November when he overcame world no.21 Francisco Cerundolo 6-4 7-6(3) in the Rubber 2 of the Davis Cup (draw).

At present, during this year the German achieved a composed 56-25 match record. Zverev conquered 1 title in Munich. The German reached the final at the Australian Open, Stuttgart and Vienna.

Christopher Eubanks in 2025

Ranked world no.266, the American played his last match on the 6^th of October when he surrendered to world no.236 Matej Dodig 6-4 6-4 in the 1^st round of the Roanne Challenger (draw).

This season the American owns an overall 17-29 match record.

Alexander Zverev and Christopher Eubanks fought against each other only twice. Their record is 2-0 for Zverev.