"I love to prove people wrong, and I have to prove them wrong immediately, no matter who they are or what they tell me I can’t do" - Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev spoke about how he loves to prove people wrong in a recent interview with lifestyle magazine Haute Living. The World No. 3 remarked that any time someone told him he couldn't do something, it only served as fuel for him to do whatever it took to disprove that sentiment.
The German declared that he believed in a very binary world, where an achievement was either within his means or it was not. Either way, Zverev wanted to make an earnest attempt to see for himself whether it was possible or not before blindly accepting what others told him.
"I love to prove people wrong, and I have to prove them wrong immediately, no matter who they are or what they tell me I can’t do, on realistic terms," Zverev said. "If they tell me I can’t jump from a skyscraper and survive, I’ll tell them, "Yeah, you’re right." But if I can do it, I want to prove it. I’m very black and white; I don’t have any gray zones.”
@daviscup) Alexander Zverev got some nerves to seal the win with this kind of atmosphere in Brazil
(🎥 @daviscup)
https://t.co/qV8w2AjkOw
As much as he relished playing in front of thousands of fans who were squarely in his corner, the 24-year-old revealed that he also did not mind playing in front of openly hostile crowds. Alexander Zverev went so far as to proclaim that he even loved the idea of standing all alone against the world.
"I have been told many times in my life that I would not achieve what I’ve achieved, that I would not succeed in sports. Obviously, I love it when I play in Germany and 20,000 fans are cheering for me and I’m the crowd favorite, but I also really appreciate when the crowd in a stadium doesn’t like me," Zverev said. "I really do enjoy the moments where I’m alone against the world.”
"Once you become a top player, you’ve got to not just talk the talk but you’ve also got to walk the walk" - Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev opined that to survive as a top player, it was not enough to just deal with the pressure of fans' expectations but also learn to start enjoying it. Since being an elite player came with a prerequisite to keep on winning, the German discerned that it was vital to enjoy oneself without feeling suffocated from all that pressure.
"When you’re a top player, you need to learn how to deal with that pressure and to start enjoying that part as well, because at the end of the day, the people that are on top have pressure for a reason," Zverev said. "They’re expected to win. And once you do, you’ve got to not just talk the talk but you’ve also got to walk the walk. There’s a thin line between putting too much pressure on yourself and enjoying the moment.”
Alexander Zverev serves (0 BPs faced) and plays incredibly well to beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 and win the ATP Finals for the 2nd time.
- 6th title in 2021 -- tour leader -- (6-0 in finals)
- 4th ever player to beat world number #1 and #2 in SFs and F of the ATP Finals. https://t.co/egKCKzbqLq
The World No. 3 noted that he was blessed with a short-term memory that ensured that he did not beat himself up too much after losses. The 24-year-old pontificated that he constantly reminded himself that there was always another match in the future which needed his attention.
According to Alexander Zverev, it is this particular mindset that has helped him keep himself sane during difficult times.
"I’m actually someone with the luck of having a short-term memory. I can forget quickly, which is a good thing, because whether you’re winning or losing in tennis, there’s always next week,” Zverev said. “You always have the next opportunity; there’s always another match in the near future. It’s very important to have that mindset.”