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Alexander Zverev Aiming for Olympics with Angelique Kerber

Published 01/17/2019, 9:03 AM EST

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During the press conference at the Australian Open Alexander Zverev was asked if he is considering playing mixed doubles on a more kind of regular basis in the slams or Olympics. The world No. 4 paired up with Angelique Kerber at the Hopman Cup in the last years and both times they lost to Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic in a mixed doubles match for the title.

That’s the best question I’ve gotten as a first question ever‘, said Zverev smiling. ‘In Olympics, I probably will, with Angie hopefully. But, no, not in tournaments. Because Olympics you play for a gold medal.

You play for not only yourself but your country. An Olympic gold medal, doesn’t matter what discipline you get it in, it’s a gold medal. As tennis players, Grand Slams, especially the singles players, we want to win in singles, not anything else really.’

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Zverev also reiterated that he will play the Davis Cup tie against Hungary in Germany on February 1 and 2, but he will not compete in the final stage. ‘I actually played all the Davis Cups in the last few years. I think I qualify on that regards.

via Imago

I still will not play in November because in November, in that time, I am in the Maldives in the sun, not playing Davis Cup.’ Zverev is upbeat about the expectations people put on him: ‘I always enjoy playing. I always enjoy competing, playing the sport that I love.

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There’s always a lot of pressure to it, always the question of, When are you going to win a Grand Slam? I came to London before, and I wasn’t playing my best. I lost to Khachanov 6-2, 6-1. I lost to other guys. I really wasn’t playing well.

I came to London saying, Look, it’s the last tournament of the year, we’re all tired, you want to go on holidays. I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I’m playing the best players in the world, I’m going to see how it goes.

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At the end of the week, I won the tournament. I kind of learned out of that. I kind of figured out I have to have the same mentality when I play at slams. I hope I can achieve that.’

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Written by:

Dhruv George

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Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports, having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino.
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