Alexander Zverev didn’t hold back when responding to scathing criticism from tennis legend Boris Becker following his quarterfinal exit at the 2025 French Open.
In a pointed rebuke ahead of his grass-court campaign at the BOSS Open in Stuttgart, Zverev made it clear that while he respects Becker, he wasn’t going to remain silent as pundits dissected his performance and questioned his support team.
Alexander Zverev Shuts Down Boris Becker’s Criticism Over Novak Djokovic Defeat
Zverev, a 2024 finalist in Paris and third seed this year, bowed out in the last eight after a 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 4-6 loss to Novak Djokovic, his fifth defeat in 14 head-to-head meetings with the Serbian. The loss marked Zverev’s seventh career quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros, a milestone that should have earned him credit.
Instead, it sparked a wave of criticism in German media, with Becker front and center. The six-time Grand Slam champion, speaking to Eurosport Germany, took aim at Zverev’s perceived lack of aggression and self-belief, especially against top-tier opponents like Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz.
“Against superstars like Djokovic or Sinner and Alcaraz, you have to win the points. They don’t give you gifts and don’t get nervous. You have to be the one who acts with more aggression and believes in victory,” Becker stated. “You could see that at the beginning with Sascha, but unfortunately, the longer the match went on, the less you saw it.” (Translated from German to English)
Becker even floated the idea that Zverev’s family-led coaching setup could be holding him back from making a championship breakthrough. Veteran coach and former Fed Cup captain Barbara Rittner also chimed in, echoing concerns about the stability and effectiveness of Zverev’s coaching circle.
“Contra superestrellas como Djokovic, tú tienes que ganar los puntos. Ellos no te hacen regalos y no se ponen nerviosos. Eso se veía al principio con Sascha pero, por desgracia, cuanto más duraba el partido, menos se vio”
🗣️ Boris Becker a Eurosport, sobre la derrota de Zverev… pic.twitter.com/MGJorgnTYA
— ESPN Tenis (@ESPNtenis) June 10, 2025
When asked about the criticism during a press conference in Stuttgart, Zverev hit back with a pointed rebuttal. “When things are going well for me, I always do everything right. When things are going badly for me, everyone else is very, very clever,” he said. “Unfortunately, Boris is one of them, and so is Barbara Rittner.”
‘I Don’t Know Why It All Has To Be Like This Now’ — Zverev on Becker Criticism
He went on to defend his performance and push back against what he views as an overreaction. “I lost to Djokovic. Maybe it wasn’t my best match, but I thought he played very well. It was just difficult,” Zverev explained.
“And to be honest, I talked to Boris a lot, had a lot of contact with him before he made those statements. Before this crew had all that to say, I had a great relationship with him. I don’t know why it all has to be like this now.”
Zverev closed by reinforcing that the loss was against a multiple-time Grand Slam champion, not a lower-ranked player. “I lost to Djokovic. Not to Hans-Peter, who is ranked 250th in the world. Sure, it’s bitter for me. I really wanted to win the French Open and go far. But it happened the way it did, and we’ll keep looking at how we can improve my game.”
Zverev’s response came during a pre-tournament media session ahead of his first match at the ATP 250 BOSS Open in Stuttgart. The top-seeded German received a first-round bye and is set to face Frenchman Corentin Moutet in his grass-court opener.
