Alexander Zverev snubs Frances Tiafoe from 5-a-side basketball squad, calls him 'untalented' outside tennis while sharing amusing soccer mishap

Alexander Zverev recently highlighted Frances Tiafoe's weakness on the basketball courts and soccer fields. The German ATP star mentioned how Tiafoe's sporting excellence is limited to just tennis. He highlighted how the American struggles during their fun soccer and basketball sessions. This made Zverev restrict his entry in an imaginary 5-a-side team.

Alexander Zverev is a known basketball fan. He attended a EuroLeague game between Alba Berlin and AS Monaco and therefore made his interest in the sport clear. Frances Tiafoe, on the other hand, also loves basketball. He participated in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and has expressed admiration for players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

However, despite Tiafoe's deep interest in basketball, Alexander Zverev unveiled a cheeky reality about his skills. During a conversation with Prakash Amritraj at the Tennis Channel studio, he created a 5-a-side team along with his tennis peers. While Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Chris Eubanks earned a slot in his list, the German strictly denied Frances Tiafoe's entry.

"I'm not putting Francis Tiafoe in for this—have you seen his shot? I do not understand how a person can be so talented on a tennis court. I mean, he's one of the most gifted tennis players I've ever seen in my entire life. But he's so untalented in everything else he does—it's phenomenal. He can't throw a football, he can't shoot a basketball," he said.

The 27-year-old recalled an instance where he indulged in a fun soccer session with Frances Tiafoe. He said:

"We tried shooting some soccer balls in Rome during a rain delay. He did it once, fell on his back, and hit his head against the floor. I'm telling you, it's amazing. He's the most talented player on the tennis court and yet so untalented in everything else he does," he added.

This came after Alexander Zverev entered into the top 32 at the ongoing Masters 1000 event in Miami. He defeated Jacob Fearnley in the opening round to secure this spot.

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Alexander Zverev regains confidence after his victory over Jacob Fearnley

Alexander Zverev at the Miami Open Presented by Itau 2025 - Day 1 - Source: Getty

Alexander Zverev recently admitted to be proud of his returning form at the Miami Open. The ATP star mentioned how the last two weeks of practice have helped him gain confidence, which is quite visible in his performance.

Zverev's 2025 season turned out to be quite turbulent. After losing the opportunity to clinch his first-ever Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open, the German couldn't make it past the quarterfinals in any of the events he participated in. The series of setbacks took a disappointing turn as he faced an opening round exit at Indian Wells.

After securing the opening round win over Jacob Fearnley, Zverev admitted:

"I'm generally happy with my level today. In Indian Wells it was very different, so I hope I can continue playing this way and have a great week here. Had two weeks time to practice and work on my game again and I did that hopefully this is the first of many matches for me here," he said, in the post-match interview.

The 27-year-old will now face Jordon Thomson in the second round. The showdown is scheduled to commence on Monday, 24th March.