Alexander Zverev is set to headline the United Cup with Team Germany, as they take on the Netherlands in Group F on Sunday, Jan. 4. Zverev was part of the group that won the second edition of the competition in 2024.
Zverev, the captain of the side, addressed a press conference ahead of the contest. One of the journalists asked the two-time ATP Finals winner to reflect on his performances from the previous year, after finishing the season as the World No. 3, behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
“I think you’re the first person in a long time to tell me I had a strong season (smiling). I feel like it was made out to be a lot more negative than it was probably by a lot of people, by media, a lot of German journalists, as well,” he replied.
“I had issues. I had issues with my body. I had injuries throughout the entire season. For me, finishing 3 in the world, with the issues that I had, I feel like looking back at it, it’s still something to be proud of,” he added.
Wird das Jahr 2026 für Alex Zverev besser laufen als das letzte Jahr? 🤔
▶️ Live auf Sky könnt ihr das deutsche Team rund um Alexander Zverev und Eva Lys sehen, die in der Nacht auf Sonntag gegen die Niederlande spielen. #SkyTennis #UnitedCup #Zverev pic.twitter.com/wUlIxLhrLj
— Sky Sport (@SkySportDE) January 2, 2026
Furthermore, Zverev cautiously claimed that despite not winning a lot of titles, he was content with his performances. At the same time, he acknowledged the dominance of the top two players and admitted that he still had a lot to prove on the circuit.
“Of course, it wasn’t the season that I wanted to have. There weren’t the titles I wanted, especially the big ones. Considering the issues I had and everything that was happening, I still believe that finishing No. 3 in the world is a good thing,” Zverev said.
“Of course, No. 1 and 2 are quite far ahead, which was not the case at the end of 2024 when I finished No. 2 in the world. But yeah, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do, but so does the rest of the tour,” he concluded.
Zverev finished his 2025 season with a 57-25 record, winning the ATP 500 BMW Open and reaching the Australian Open final.
Alexander Zverev Reflects on How Important the United Cup is in Preparation for Australian Open
At the same press conference, a journalist asked Zverev for his thoughts on the United Cup, where a player is guaranteed a set number of matches, and if it was a positive prelude to the first Grand Slam of the year.
“Yeah, I mean, that I have two guaranteed matches is not the reason I’m here, to be honest, because I feel like if I had gone to Brisbane or somewhere else, I most likely also would have more than two matches, I would hope,” Zverev said.
“But just being here with the team, just being in this great atmosphere, I think we all get along very, very well. Just starting the year on a positive note, I think it’s important for all of us,” he added.
“Yeah, having fun along the way is also quite important, because I feel like we’re going to play a lot of regular tournaments during the year. I think a team event is always something very nice,” Zverev concluded.
The German begins his quest at the United Cup with a singles matchup against Tallon Griekspoor on Sunday.
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