Alexander Zverev has lost his last four matches against Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour.
His most recent win came in the fourth round of the 2023 US Open, where he beat Sinner in five sets: 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
Since then, Sinner has taken control of their head-to-head record. Their most recent meeting came at the {{ATP Finals}}, where Sinner again had the upper hand.
In that match, Sinner consistently found success by repeatedly going after a specific weakness in Zverev’s game using one particular shot.
Zverev’s forehand struggles were on full display in his recent defeat to Sinner
It’s no secret that Alexander Zverev has long been questioned over the reliability of his forehand. The German, who is known for having one of the top backhands on tour, often lacks the confidence and power to really punish opponents with his forehand, and it tends to get exposed at higher levels of competition.
Jannik Sinner took full advantage of that vulnerability during their most recent match in Turin. Sinner may have the best backhand down-the-line in men’s tennis right now, and it proved a major factor against Zverev. Throughout the match, he consistently used this shot to shift rallies away from Zverev’s strength and into areas where he could apply real pressure.
Sinner would often look for chances to break out of backhand exchanges with a sharp drive down the line. This either forced Zverev into uncomfortable forehands or made him try risky shots back towards Sinner’s strength. Both options tended to favour Sinner.
Once he had control, Sinner was quick to press any opening, whether it meant stepping around his own forehand or finding space behind Zverev again. It was a clear tactical plan that paid off throughout the match.
What can Alexander Zverev do to counter Sinner’s approach?
The clearest path forward for Zverev is to address his forehand issues, a shot that has often been seen as a vulnerability in his game.
It’s not just about making technical adjustments, though. It’s also about adopting a more aggressive mindset. Too often, Zverev settles for safe forehands when he should be looking to step in and dictate play.
This lack of conviction can be costly, especially against top players who aren’t going to give him many second chances within a rally.
If he wants to start closing the gap on the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz, he’ll need to back himself more with that shot, taking calculated risks rather than just keeping the ball in play.
It’s an area where he still has room to grow and it might be what ultimately defines how far he goes in this era dominated by aggressive baseline hitters.
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