"Alexander Zverev lacks taking the risk" - Serena Williams' ex-coach gives verdict on German's Australian Open loss to Jannik Sinner

Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou expressed his views on Alexander Zverev's Australian Open final loss to Jannik Sinner last Sunday (January 26). The Frenchman also gave his analysis of the German's display during the men's singles summit clash and offered some areas where he could have done better.

Zverev reached the title match in Melbourne in comprehensive fashion. However, the 27-year-old was thoroughly beaten by his World No. 1 opponent Jannik Sinner by a scoreline of 3-6, 6-7(4), 3-6. More surprisingly, he failed to muster a single break point on the Italian's serve, marking his third Major final loss after the 2020 US Open and the 2024 French Open.

On Thursday (January 30), Mouratoglou took to his Instagram handle to speak about Alexander Zverev's Major winning prospects. While Mouratoglou didn't attribute the German's purported lack of belief to his Melbourne defeat, a lack of initiative on big points certainly affected him against Sinner in the 54-year-old coach's opinion.

"I don't think that Sascha loses this Grand Slam final, at least the last one, because he doesn't believe enough. I think he does believe," Patrick Mouratoglou said about Alexander Zverev in an Instagram reel on Thursday. "But I think that there's still things he's lacking in his game. He improved, for sure. He's no. 2 in the world now, he came back stronger, and I think he added a lot of things in his game. When it comes to the big moments, he lacks being bold, being aggressive, taking the risk, taking the match, really taking it."

The Frenchman added that Zverev needs to keep pushing the envelope in big matches despite his past heartbreaks.

"He pushes himself to do it but it's not natural yet. I think he needs more time," he added. "I think he needs to do it more and more and more and more and find better efficiency."

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"This isn't how Alexander Zverev can win against those guys" - Patrick Mouratoglou

Alexander Zvere hits a backhand in Melbourne (Source: Getty Images)

Patrick Mouratoglou took a deep dive into the Australian Open final clash between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev. The famous coach, who guided Serena Williams to 11 Major titles, asserted that Zverev trying to keep a steady rhythm during rallies hurt him, as it allowed Sinner to get on top of points thanks to his fast style of play.

"If you look at the match, he went to the net a lot. Especially in the first part of the match," Mouratoglou said. "He got passed every time. So at some point, when it comes to the big moment, you want to do it but the history of the match tells you every time almost you go, you lose."

"So he stayed and stayed in what he feels secure, which is staying behind the baseline and just missing. And in that match, all the big moments, most of them he decided to play and not miss. Jannik is not gonna miss either," he added. "He is going to play faster. So this is not how he can win against those guys. He has to keep working, and I'm sure he will, on developing his game."

Alexander Zverev will next play at the Mexican Open in Acapulco later in February. He is the top seed at the ATP 500 tournament and won the title in 2021.