Alexander Zverev is having the week of his life after winning his first-ever Grand Slam. From receiving a hero’s welcome in Germany to doing numerous interviews, he has been enjoying his French Open triumph. Zverev recently revealed how everyday experiences mean the world to him off the court rather than materialistic experiences. That response set the tennis community ablaze, as many felt it was a subtle dig at his rivals.

When asked about his life off the court, Zverev made it clear that he doesn’t have any interest in constantly being under the public’s eye. He also doesn’t care too much about status symbols like luxury clothes or cars and just wants to spend quality time with his family. It was this comment that led to speculations about him taking a jibe at both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

“Off the court, I’m an extremely relaxed guy,” he said in an interview with Esquire. “I want my life to be as uncomplicated as possible. All that matters to me is the well-being of the people closest to me – my family, my daughter, Sophia, my dogs. We just want to have a good, carefree time together. That’s my foundation. I don’t need perfection in everyday life, and I don’t define myself by status symbols. No superyachts, no twenty Ferraris. True happiness is much easier for me: playing a round of golf in the afternoon and then coming home to my dogs. This gives me much more than any material luxury.”

Zverev has always emphasized having a straightforward approach to tennis and how much he values his family in life. From crediting his father Alexander Zverev Sr. and brother/manger Mischa Zverev, he always stays grounded in line with his words.

The dig aimed at his rivals is not without context. Alcaraz had reportedly invested €10 million (approximately $11.6 million) in a 27-meter luxury catamaran earlier in April. The vessel can very well be described as a superyacht and was designed in collaboration with Sunreef Yachts. This move had raised a lot of eyebrows at the time, with many believing that such a luxury item would only be a cause of distraction for the Spaniard.

As for the Ferrari part, Jannik Sinner is known to be a big fan of the luxury car manufacturer. He has been watching F1 since his childhood and has expressed his admiration for the brand on a number of occasions. The Italian even owns multiple Ferraris himself. This is the reason why Zverev’s comments are being seen as an indirect jab at both Alcaraz and Sinner.

Although there is nothing wrong with having supertoys, a section of tennis fans have been against these acts. They believe players give in to elitist notions and often alienate their fanbase. However, as they approach the peak of their careers, ‘SinCaraz’ are building incredible portfolios as global icons on and off the court.

Zverev has been involved in multiple tense matches with both players and isn’t known to share a friendship with any of them. Being the current three best men’s players in the world, the relationship between them is strictly professional.

In fact, this isn’t even the first time that Zverev has come under the scanner for taking indirect digs at Alcaraz and Sinner. There have been instances where the German’s frustration has boiled over while facing the two, and he has made questionable comments about them.

Zverev has a history of making controversial remarks towards Alcaraz & Sinner

It was last year at the Shanghai Masters that Zverev had first made a contentious remark against the two. When asked about the slower court speeds in the tournament, Zverev had claimed that the organizers had deliberately reduced the pace in order to favor Alcaraz and Sinner.

“I hate when it’s the same, to be honest,” he had said after his 6-4, 6-4 win over Valentin Royer in the first round. “I think 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.

“Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface. I don’t like it; I’m not a fan of it. I think tennis needs different game styles, tennis needs a little bit of variety, and I think we’re lacking that right now.”

Zverev would once again make favoritism accusations against the two during his clash against Alcaraz at the Australian Open semis earlier this year. The German was left furious after Alcaraz was allowed to receive medical attention for cramps during the third set. Notably, no player is allowed to take a medical timeout for cramps, so Zverev couldn’t help but feel that his opponent was being protected.

“It’s unbelievable that they’re treating him for cramps; it’s bullsh*t. You’re protecting these two guys (Alcaraz and Sinner) all the time,” he was heard saying.

Zverev would eventually go on to lose 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5 and would leave the court after causing a ton of controversy. Incidents like these have made him quite a disliked figure across the tennis community, and it doesn’t look like the people’s perception around him would change anytime soon.