Alexander Zverev’s 2025 was a mixed bag. The German pushed through physical and mental roadblocks, still wrapping up the season as world No. 3 and lifting his sole trophy at home in Munich. And now, a former American star has stepped in with a different perspective, choosing to spotlight Zverev’s overall trajectory while offering insight on what might finally unlock that next level.

On his YouTube podcast Served, Andy Roddick recently addressed the narrow lens through which Alexander Zverev’s career is often judged. “It also sucks that his entire career is going to be defined by if he can beat those guys twice in a row in a major and win one. He’s a phenomenal player. The career resume is amazing,” Roddick said.

Alexander Zverev’s 2025 season was uneven, but his year-end finish as world No. 3 is a testament to his perhaps underrated abilities. While his form at the Grand Slams dipped as the year went on, he still opened the season by reaching the Australian Open final in January, the third major final of his career.

Rather than focusing on results alone, Roddick message centered on tactical adjustments that could help him assert himself earlier in matches and against elite opponents, especially when margins are tight at the biggest tournaments.

“If I had to come up with a way or an adjustment, I’d like to see most people are like step inside the court and flatten out your forehand. His technique doesn’t suggest that that’s an option, especially when he’s getting rushed by like I could step in and hit big forehands and then I would play Andre who could rush me to that side and I was hitting off my back foot,” he suggested.

At the core of Zverev’s success is a well-rounded game built on three pillars: his serve, baseline consistency, and defensive strength. His serve remains one of the most dangerous weapons on tour. At 6’6”, he can use his height to generate pace and sharp angles, and while his second serve has occasionally wavered, the heavy kick often pushes opponents deep and opens the court for the next shot.

From the baseline, the 28-year-old thrives on depth and control. His penetrating groundstrokes keep rivals from dictating play and allow him to manage rallies on his terms. Even when pushed back, he has the ability to absorb pace and flip defense into offense, a skill that has kept him competitive against the game’s most aggressive hitters.

That defensive awareness drew praise as well. “His backhand’s amazing. Crush and rush off a second serves. Serve and volley a little bit more. Do these things where every point of aggression isn’t about picking out the right ball and doing something uncomfortable three or four shots into a rally,” he said, emphasizing the value of more immediate, decisive aggression.

Ultimately, in the end, he summed it up by calling for a mindset shift. “I think it’s about like blunt force trauma type aggression where you’re choosing to do this and play this way from the first ball. And then all of a sudden, it makes your stock game of wanting to drift back a little bit more effective. That’s what I think.”

At 28, Zverev’s career has been marked by inconsistency, but confidence is growing. And as he continues the search for a first major, and carries the label of one of the best players without a Slam, he now adds another unfortunate record to an already long Grand Slam wait.

Alexander Zverev became top 10 king without a slam

Alexander Zverev has put together an commendable career, even without a Grand Slam title to his name. The German has already won 24 ATP Tour titles and could reach 400 weeks inside the ATP top 10 in 2026. Still, as many have said, the biggest prize continues to elude him, shaping how his achievements are viewed.

Long before the 2025 Australian Open, Alexander Zverev had come painfully close at the majors. He finished runner-up at the 2020 US Open and again at the 2024 French Open, results that showed his ability to compete at the very highest level.

Those deep runs reinforced the idea that he belongs among the elite, even if the final step has remained just out of reach. Earlier this month, however, Zverev found himself attached to an unwanted milestone.

Top Stories

26-Year-Old Tennis Journalist Meets Tragic Demise After Battling Brutal Chronic Disease

ESPN Ditches Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner’s Coaches for Chris Evert After 2 Decades

Coco Gauff Surprises Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Brother After He Calls Her Out at United Cup

17-Year-Old Aussie Shocks 4x WTA Title Winner at Brisbane International

Stefanos Tsitsipas Stuns Injured Taylor Fritz to End Almost Two Year Drought

He became “the player with the most weeks inside the top 10 without winning a Grand Slam title,” now totaling 373 weeks. The record reflects both his remarkable longevity and the lingering frustration that surrounds his career.

His 2025 Grand Slam season added to that mixed picture. Zverev lost the Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner in straight sets and later fell to Novak Djokovic in the French Open quarter-finals, with early exits at Wimbledon and the US Open to follow. Even so, his sustained presence at the top of the sport continues to mark him as one of tennis’ most durable competitors.