	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROGERS CUP

August 12, 2017

Alexander Zverev

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

A. ZVEREV/D. Shapovalov

6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It was a classy move from you on the court to applaud Denis and say in the microphone that to you tonight was about Denis. Does he remind you of yourself a couple of months ago?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, I mean, I felt like the crowd and the tournament, the whole city of Montreal, was really supporting him all the way. It was an amazing story. I think this is just the beginning of a very long story. Hopefully he can continue doing what he's doing.

But on the other hand I will say don't expect him to win US Open in the next few months coming up. He still needs some time. This is I think the best tennis he played in his life. For him to play this level consistently, it might take him, you know, another two to three years.

But the other hand he has shown what level he has in himself and what talent that he is. It's going to be amazing watching him and playing against him.

Q. What did you tell him at the net after the game?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, I told him he had a great run, well done to him, to not worry too much that he lost today. I also told him that this is just the first match of very, very many that we will play against him. Hopefully a lot of other big matches, maybe in Grand Slams, maybe in finals of tournaments.

I just told him that this is the beginning for him.

Q. I guess tomorrow will be easy after taking on all of Canada tonight. A joke. Were you impressed by the way Denis didn't go away in the second set, fighting it at 5-6, all those match points you had? Were you impressed with his continued fight? Sorry to make it all about Denis.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: It's fine. I expect you guys to do it. I'm glad that you do because it shows that you all are interested in the Canadian tennis. I think every country should do that for their athletes.

And, no, I was not surprised because I know what kind of person he is. I know what kind of player he is. He will never go away. He will fight, especially in front of the home crowd.

I didn't play a good game at 6-5. To be very fair I should have gotten broken with how I played. But credits to him, he fought till the end. A lot of nerves involved in that game, I think, as well.

It's just something that maybe we both may have to improve.

Q. You saw him play all week. Was there anything different about him when you got out there and you had his shots coming towards you?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I was actually a bit surprised how quick he is. I didn't realize it. I know that he has big shots. I know that he has a big forehand and big serve.

His moving impressed me a lot today, going from sides to sides. I can play aggressive, and he was handling quite well. I think that impressed me that I haven't seen this on TV. I have witnessed it today, which was a surprise for me a little bit.

Q. Looks like the players of your generation, you're quite close together, have a good relationship. The fact you have had success before the others, has that changed the dynamics of the group in the locker room?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No. I think we all get along quite well together. I don't think I had success earlier than the others. I think Dominic Thiem had earlier than me. Nick Kyrgios had success earlier than me. Even though they're a little bit older, both of them, but kind of the same age. They had earlier success than me.

But, no, we still get along all us together well.

Q. It's good to see you give a good example, you and Denis. Sometimes there's a bad example with burnout or bad advice. How can players with early success in their career, how can prevent them to make level up an improvement?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I don't think it's about success you have in the early age. I think it's more about the personality that you are.

In Denis, you can see he absolutely loves tennis, he absolutely enjoys every single moment, being out there. The people that you think about that don't, you could have seen it in early ages, as well.

But, you know, I'm someone who really enjoys this and really embraces the fact that I'm not somewhere studying right now. I'm doing something that I love. Why would I want to do anything else?

Obviously you win some matches, you lose some matches. At the end of the day you got to enjoy what you're doing. I obviously do. I think Denis does, as well, for sure, otherwise he wouldn't have this joy and he wouldn't have this fire in his eyes playing this game actually.

I think he's not in trouble of being one of those guys.

Q. How about tomorrow's final against Roger?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I think he's definitely the favorite. He's been playing amazing tennis. He pretty much won every single big tournament he played this year. I feel like I'm playing well, so I know that I have to serve a lot better tomorrow than I did today. That was I think the thing that I struggled the most with today.

But, you know, I played in five finals this year. I won four. The one that I lost was against Roger. There's a reason for it. I'm happy to be in the final. I'll try to enjoy as much as I can.

Q. You mentioned playing the game of tennis, loving to do that, not studying. If you were to study anything, what would you want to study?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, what was I good at in school? I was always good in maths in school, but I wouldn't want to study maths for the rest of my life. No offense to the people that do, but I would be depressed at some point.

No, maybe science or nature, biology, I don't know... Sports. That's it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297