Alexander Zverev’s 2025 season didn’t live up to the massive expectations surrounding him. Many experts and insiders labeled the year a disappointment, especially with hopes that Sascha would finally break through and capture his first Grand Slam title. Instead, despite reaching the Australian Open final, the narrative quickly turned critical, and the German star has made it clear he’s not entirely happy with how his season was portrayed by the media.

As Germany kicks off its 2026 United Cup campaign in Sydney, the defending champions are once again led by Zverev, with his father, Alexander Zverev Sr., guiding the team. Ahead of their opening group match against the Netherlands, Zverev reflected on his 2025 season, which still ended with him ranked No. 3 in the world.

“I think you are the first person in a long time to tell me that I had a good season,” he said with a smile, pointing out that the coverage, especially back home in Germany, often painted his year far more negatively than he believes it deserved.

Alexander Zverev has made it clear that he feels his 2025 season was judged too harshly. While he understands criticism comes with expectations, the world No. 3 believes the media focused more on what he didn’t achieve rather than what he managed to overcome.

“I have the feeling that many people… have presented my season in a much more negative way than it really was,” he said, pushing back against the narrative.

And 2025 indeed showed flashes of promise before things unraveled again. Zverev finally snapped his losing streak against Daniil Medvedev and looked confident heading into the Paris Masters. But the momentum disappeared quickly, as he suffered a heavy 6-0, 6-1 loss to Jannik Sinner less than a day later, raising immediate concerns about his physical condition.

What worried fans most wasn’t the scoreline, but Zverev’s movement. He was clearly struggling on court and later confirmed the issue was serious. “Unfortunately, it swelled up a lot yesterday,” he said, revealing that his right ankle had ballooned after the match and limited his ability to compete.

Zverev admitted that facing someone like Sinner while less than fully fit leaves little room for hope. He explained that unless he is at “100%” and playing his best tennis, beating elite opponents is nearly impossible. And the injury was just one of many setbacks that followed him throughout the season.

Looking at the bigger picture, Alexander Zverev pointed to how much his body put him through in 2025. He acknowledged dealing with injuries all year but still took pride in his final ranking. Finishing as world No. 3, he said, is “something I can be proud of” given everything he endured.

Now, Zverev enters the 2026 United Cup as the highest-ranked player in the field and is set to open against Tallon Griekspoor, a rival who has troubled him before. His main focus is building rhythm and confidence ahead of the Australian Open, where he has major points to defend after reaching last year’s final.

Zverev also explained why events like the United Cup are crucial for him. “I need several matches before I feel completely comfortable on the court,” he said. Regardless, this isn’t the first time Alexander Zverev has pushed back against reporters.

Alexander Zverev claps back at reporter over Davis Cup intentions

Although Alexander Zverev last played the event in 2023, where he won one of his two singles matches against Switzerland, his recent comments drew plenty of attention. And ahead of last year’s competition, Zverev criticized the revamped format, calling it a “waste of time” and even labeling it an “exhibition tournament.”

Those comments set the stage for a tense moment at the pre-match press conference. A reporter directly questioned why he chose to play after speaking so critically about the tournament. Zverev immediately pushed back, responding, “Judging by how you asked the question, I guess you want to have an answer that you can write about,” signalling his frustration with the framing of the question.

Rather than backing down, Alexander Zverev clarified his true motivation. He stressed that his decision had nothing to do with the format and everything to do with the people around him. “I’m very happy to be with this team,” he said, explaining that the team itself is “the only reason I’m here.”

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At the same time, Zverev stood firm on his criticism of the new structure. He reiterated that he prefers the old Davis Cup format, calling it “history” and highlighting how meaningful home-and-away ties once were. While his opinion hasn’t changed, he made it clear that it doesn’t lessen his commitment to competing.

Ultimately, Zverev emphasized that loyalty and belief in his teammates drove his return. He further spoke about the limited time this group has left together and his confidence in their potential. “I truly believe that we have a great team,” he said.

Now, a staggering 6,390 points separate world No. 2 Jannik Sinner from Alexander Zverev in the ATP rankings, leaving the German with a steep challenge heading into 2026. It will be fascinating to see how Zverev plans to bridge that gap and chase down the sport’s new standard.