Alexander Zverev's 2024 season in review: Breaking the Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz duopoly but not quite

Alexander Zverev has had a pretty fascinating journey in his career from the time he emerged as a super-talented lanky youngster to becoming World No. 2. He then broke his ankle but worked his way back to the same ranking in 2024. Let's take a look at his 2024 season as the year comes to a close.

Zverev, after becoming World number 2 this year, said,

"It's nice to be back at the highest position I've ever held. Of course, I want to go even higher. But I think Jannik had the best season, followed by Carlos. In my opinion, they’re still the two best players in the world at the moment."

It’s refreshing, for a change, to hear such a realistic and self-aware Zverev because in the past he has sounded confident to the point of being overconfident about his capabilities, calling himself one of the best players on the Tour. Perhaps this is already a hint of what lies ahead next season. About two and a half years after suffering a severe ankle injury during the Roland Garros semifinal, Zverev climbed back to the No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings this year.

Reflecting on the 2022 Roland Garros, the misfortune was especially bitter because it seemed, for the first time, that he could truly go all the way. Having defeated Carlos Alcaraz for his first-ever win over a top-10 player at a Grand Slam, he more than held his own against Rafael Nadal in the semifinal. However, it ended in unfortunate circumstances for Zverev as he tore his ankle ligaments while sliding.

In the interim, Zverev also had to deal with other issues as two former girlfriends accused him of physical abuse. But in 2024, by reaching the final of the Paris Masters, he reclaimed the world No. 2 spot. Overall, he’s had a very strong season. Only Jannik Sinner had more wins this year, finishing with 78 compared to Zverev’s 69. Zverev also won two Masters titles, reached the Roland Garros final, and generally performed at a high level.

One noteworthy match came recently at the ATP Finals when Zverev faced Carlos Alcaraz in a battle to decide who would advance to the semifinals. While the match was evenly poised, Zverev emerged victorious, once again proving that he’s entering a new era in his play. He has developed into a great player, but a Grand Slam title continues to elude him. That’s the next step, and he looks to have a decent chance to achieve it.

Alongside players like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic, Zverev belongs to the inner circle of Grand Slam contenders. Still, there are hurdles to overcome.

Zverev himself acknowledges that Alcaraz had a better season. His rise to No. 2 was partly due to playing significantly more tournaments than Alcaraz and perhaps because the Olympics don’t count toward ATP rankings. Zverev played six more events than Alcaraz this year but won two fewer titles. While he had a strong season, a deeper look paints a slightly different picture.

Zverev’s Mixed Grand Slam Record

Alexander Zverev competed in 22 tournaments this year and won only two. In comparison, Alcaraz won four, and Sinner claimed nine titles, neither of them playing even 20 events. Zverev showed consistency, reaching nine semifinals, but also suffered numerous losses. Notably, 14 of his 19 defeats came against players outside the top 10, with six against players outside the top 20. While it’s unrealistic to expect anyone to win every match as the favorite, these losses are significant for someone aspiring to be World No. 1 and consistently contend for Grand Slam titles.

Additionally, Zverev’s two Masters titles, in Rome and Paris, came without him defeating a single top-10 player along the way. His toughest opponent across both tournaments was Stefanos Tsitsipas, then ranked World No. 11. While players tend to focus more on confidence than rankings, it’s fair to say Zverev’s current standing might not fully reflect his distance from Sinner and Alcaraz.

At this year’s Roland Garros, Zverev also benefited from some luck. While he decisively defeated Nadal in the first round, he narrowly escaped defeat in the third round against Tallon Griekspoor, who faltered in the fifth set despite holding a double-break lead. In the semifinals, after losing the first set, he capitalized on Casper Ruud’s struggles with a stomach virus, which left Ruud largely passive for the remainder of the match.

The Courage Gap in Big Matches

A recurring issue for Zverev in Grand Slam matches is a lack of courage on critical points. He tends to play too passively in big moments, a strategy that might work against lower-ranked players but fails against top competitors like Sinner, Alcaraz, or Djokovic. Another persistent weakness is his lack of aggression on the first shot after his serve, particularly on his forehand.

Speaking during the ATP Finals, Zverev said,

“I think when they [Sinner and Alcaraz] get an easy ball, when they’re in a position to attack, the point is over 90% of the time, whether it’s a winner or an unforced error. They hit the ball so hard, they’re so aggressive. I think that’s an area where I can improve, and it’s something I’m working on."

Zverev will never have a forehand like Sinner’s or Alcaraz’s, but he can, and must, be more aggressive overall. This mindset has brought him results in the past, but his attacking game has always been inconsistent, never becoming part of his identity. As Roger Federer recently noted in an interview with Sports Illustrated about Zverev’s passivity:

“Every cell in your body needs to believe that it’s the only right way to play.”

Over the past two weeks, Zverev has shown signs of adopting a more aggressive approach, but it remains to be seen whether he can sustain it consistently. Yes, he’s had a strong season and was one of the few at the ATP Finals capable of challenging Alcaraz and Sinner. However, the reality is more nuanced than it seems at first glance.

For Zverev, playing with courage at the end of a tournament like the ATP Finals has almost become second nature. The real test is whether he can bring the same mentality to the decisive stages of a Grand Slam. Judging by his previous seasons, and even this one, there’s still a lot of work ahead. However, it’s promising that he’s finally showing some self-awareness and self-criticism in public. Fans can reasonably hope to see great things from Zverev in 2025.