"He comes on with a lot of confidence and plays his thing down, I'm sure he'll get even better" - Mischa Zverev on Novak Djokovic's ability to bounce back from breaks with a bang
Novak Djokovic's ability to bounce back from breaks and continue dominating the sport as if he had never left in the first place is being seen as the ideal blueprint for Alexander Zverev, who is currently on a long break himself due to injury.
Having injured his ankle during the French Open, the German is currently in rehab and is expected to make a return to action early next season. While Djokovic hasn't had to endure any injuries to be similarly sidelined, the Serb's stance on the COVID vaccination has robbed him of quite a few tournaments, including the entirety of the North American hardcourt swing.
Despite that, the 21-time Grand Slam champion hit the courts in Tel Aviv and Astana a couple of weeks back, winning both tournaments back-to-back in emphatic fashion. Even the staunchest of fans were a little wary of how rusty he might be, especially considering he hadn't played any competitive tennis since Wimbledon, but he proved them all wrong with characteristic resilience.
The former World No. 1's display, therefore, has given some hope to Alexander Zverev, as admitted by his brother Mischa during a recent interview with Eurosport Germany.
Hailing Djokovic for the way he comes in with confidence no matter how long he has been away from the sport, Mischa Zverev is of the opinion that the World No. 7 could get even better with age, hinting at a very long career ahead of him.
"I think that's incredibly strong. Novak comes back, wins two tournaments - and that's it," Mischa Zverev said. "Obviously he wasn't injured and he's only had one break, but he comes on with a lot of confidence and plays his thing down. I'm sure he'll get even better. It's very impressive, especially at 35."
Alexander Zverev, meanwhile, was seen vacationing in the Maldives in the middle of his recovery program, along with his girlfriend Sophia Thomalla and the rest of his family. While his brother conceded that it was a nice trip, he revealed that the German would have preferred to be playing, which he hopes will happen sooner rather than later.
"It was a nice trip, but he would have preferred to be on the pitch. Sascha has never taken such a long break," Mischa Zverev said. "Sascha doesn't just want to play tournaments when he's healthy, but only when he's also fit in terms of play."
Novak Djokovic looking to defend title at Paris Masters up next
Fresh off his exploits in Astana, Novak Djokovic will be in action next at the Paris Masters, where he is the defending champion. The Serb will be looking to win his record seventh title at the tournament, having already won the event in 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2021.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion, who has already qualified for the season-ending ATP Tour Finals, will be joined by a very strong line-up including the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev in Paris for the final Masters 1000 event of the year.
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