Alexander Zverev has taken home two Grand Slam titles this year, grabbing the US Open and his first ever major at Roland Garros. That’s a huge deal for any player! But despite those massive wins, there’s been some serious chatter, sparking debate because he only faced one top 10 player across both of those runs: Ben Shelton in the US Open final.
The Top 10 Puzzle: What’s the Real Story?
This season hasn’t been a walk in the park against the very best. Zverev currently sits with a challenging 2-8 record against top 10 opponents this year. Ouch, that’s a tough number to stomach. We saw it most recently when Alex de Minaur beat him at the Laver Cup. His losses against the top guys are significant: Carlos Alcaraz beat him in the Australian Open semifinals. Jannik Sinner has truly had Zverev’s number, taking him down in the semifinals at Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte Carlo, and then again in the finals at Madrid and Wimbledon. While Zverev beat Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon, Fritz also won at Halle. It’s a mixed bag, fueling the doubters who point to that 2-8 mark.
Rusedski Shuts Down the Haters
Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski isn’t having any of it. He jumped right to Zverev’s defense, especially after that Laver Cup loss to De Minaur. Rusedski called the discussions around Zverev’s Grand Slam wins “a load of rubbish,” which is about as direct as it gets, right? On his podcast, he dismissed concerns about the De Minaur defeat, saying it’s tough indoors against a player like De Minaur on the O2’s medium-to-slow court. Plus, it was Zverev’s first tournament after the Davis Cup and US Open win, so that transition isn’t easy. He admitted Zverev got “a little bit tight” but gave credit to De Minaur. Rusedski emphasized Zverev “shut it out” in deciding matches, boasting an impressive 5-1 record to close out Laver Cup ties. “The guy’s won two Slams,” Rusedski reminded everyone, adding you don’t fluke a major.
But the biggest argument Rusedski crushed was the idea that Zverev didn’t have to beat Sinner or Alcaraz, the two dominant forces, to win his two majors. Rusedski declared that’s “a load of rubbish,” stressing winning seven matches to claim a Slam is no accident. He also reminded us Zverev had the expectation to win both majors and made a Wimbledon final this year. What’s truly at stake for Zverev now? He’s in pole position to finish the year as world number one, leading Sinner by 750 points. Sinner’s even pulled out of an Asia tournament, giving Zverev more breathing room. The goal is crystal clear: finish as world number one. And if Rusedski’s assessment is right, Zverev’s already proven he has the grit and skill to get there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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