Alexander Zverev must now be considered one of the greatest German tennis players of all time, given what he has finally accomplished in 2026.
Having won almost all there was to win outside of the Grand Slams, this year will be remembered as the one in which he finally broke through and achieved the unthinkable.
First came Roland Garros, and later the US Open, with a loss in the Wimbledon final sandwiched in between. The outcome of this fine run of form was Zverev rising to world number one, though some have questioned the validity of his ascension.
Now, in the history of the men’s game, only Boris Becker boasts a better record among German players than the 29-year-old, with the two having intermittently worked together during his career.
How long do you think Alexander Zverev keeps the number one ranking?
He is now guaranteed to be year end number one after Carlos Alcaraz’s shock loss in Shanghai…
However, speaking about Alexander Zverev and whether he’d ever consider coaching him again, Becker ruled that out completely.
He did not rule out a return to the ATP Tour elsewhere though.
Boris Becker explains why he’d never coach Alexander Zverev again
Speaking to Der Spiegel, the German was asked whether he would ever consider coaching Zverev again.
His answer was unequivocal, hinting at past issues: “I have to be the boss in the ring. If a family member then has a different opinion, in a language I don’t understand, in this case Russian, then it’s unacceptable.
“I was in his box at many matches, I was on the practice court, and I actively supported him.
“We’ve had our ups and downs. I’m 30 years older than him; I have children his age. You have to tell these young people what they don’t like to hear sometimes.
“That might motivate them even more; they think, ‘What’s he talking about? I’ll show that old guy.’ That’s okay. The main thing is that he wins. And he did this year.”
Then, discussing his potential return to coaching, Becker revealed: “There have been several inquiries; of course I won’t mention any names! Let’s see what happens next year.”
Becker had huge praise for Zverev after he won his first Grand Slam title in Paris earlier this year, though things still don’t seem totally harmonious between them.
His suggestion that he is open to returning to coaching adds him to a short list of high-profile coaches on the market, including David Ferrer, who has been linked with Carlos Alcaraz recently.
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