In a gripping final at the 2025 Erste Bank Open in Vienna, top seed Jannik Sinner mounted a characteristic comeback to defeat Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 and reclaim the title he first won in 2023. The encounter was a physical battle for the Italian, who had to fight through apparent cramping in both the first and third sets to secure his fourth title of the season and extend his winning streak on indoor hard courts to an impressive 21 matches.

The victory, which took two hours and 29 minutes, marked Sinner’s 22nd tour-level crown and further cemented his status as one of the sport’s most formidable competitors. As reported by The Tennis Letter on X, during the post-match ceremony, Alexander Zverev’s gracious concession sparked significant attention.

After a hard-fought battle, the German offered a candid and generous assessment of his opponent, stating, “Good evening, good afternoon. Not quite sure what time it is. I’d like to congratulate Jannik, whose level has been off the charts these last two years. Currently, for me, you’re the best player in the world. What an amazing year. 4 Grand Slam finals and 2 Grand Slam titles.”

He continued, “This week of course, simply the best player here in Vienna. To your team, Of course, very well done. The last couple years have been amazing. You continue improving. I know Jannik is the biggest part of it, but you guys have such a big part in it as well. The improvement you guys made is amazing to see. Well done and good luck.”

This praise from Alexander Zverev, of all people, underscores the respect Sinner has commanded on tour through his performances. His 2025 season has indeed been remarkable, featuring a successful Australian Open title defense and a maiden Wimbledon championship, which contributed to a 48-6 match win-loss record for the year up to the Vienna final.

But the story here is pretty different. Carlos Alcaraz is still hanging on to that No. 1 spot with 11,340 ATP points, and Sinner is right there, not too far behind at 10,000. Making this statement really stirred up some controversy for the German. And as soon as word got out, the tennis world was not on board.

Tennis frat unhappy with Alexander Zverev’s comments

Alexander Zverev’s statement, while it was meant to praise his rival Jannik Sinner, didn’t really sit well with a lot of tennis fans. A fan remarked, “I don’t know if there’s ever been a bigger loser in the history of tennis.” Fans saw this as a bit hypocritical. Earlier in the season, the German had complained about conditions being set up for others, but then he didn’t show his superiority when the courts were, by his own words, faster. The comment, “And the slow fields for him and Carlos, have you forgotten them?” directly challenges Zverev’s theory about court speed.

It highlights what seems like a contradiction in his argument and brushes it off as just an excuse for his own or others’ performances. One critic said, “You can never make me like you, Zverev.” In the same vein, this fan mentioned, “Very clown.” So, what did Alexander Zverev say back then? “I hate when it’s the same and I know that the tournament directors are going towards that direction because obviously they want Jannik and Carlos to do well every tournament, and that’s what they prefer,” Zverev mentioned in an on-court interview.

Today really shook things up in the story, and that’s what got a lot of fans talking. One fan mentioned, “He’s not the best player in the world. Sorry but that’s a crock of s— from Zverev.”

Alexander Zverev’s recent comments, whether about his theories on court speed or his enthusiastic praise for Sinner, have really backfired, solidifying his image as a divisive and often polarizing figure in the sport. Instead of changing critics’ minds, these episodes have just made more fans see him as a player who has a hard time with accountability and being genuine.