US OPEN

September 6, 2021

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/J. Sinner

6-4, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Your thoughts on today's win.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I think it was a pretty high-level match, to be honest. I think the winner and unforced error ratio was not like the other matches, not as good as the other matches, but it was also very difficult because both of us are playing extremely fast.

All in all I played one bad game in the third set and that almost cost me a set, and that shows how high I think both players were playing.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. On a few of the big points you hit the backhand down the line where it looks like if you're off by a centimeter it's going to be out. How long does it take to get the confidence to hit that kind of shot?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think it's built over time to do it in the most important moments. I feel like there are players that have great backhands, have great forehands, but to hit those kind of balls in the important moments, I think that's probably matches, that's a lot of tournaments and all that.

But, yeah, I mean, I hit big shots in big moments, and that's why I think the score was how it was.

Q. You have spoken many times about how your serve is sort of the key to the game. Jannik was speaking how well you were serving. Was there a point during this streak where you felt your serve clicking or...

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Generally the past few months?

Q. Yeah.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, in Tokyo. In Tokyo, all of a sudden it clicked, because in Wimbledon I had a very bad serving match against Felix. That was the reason I lost. Yeah, since Tokyo it's been a lot better, but it can still be a lot better, as well.

As I said as well, the serve is the shot I spend the most time on, it's the shot I practice the most as well. I am someone that needs that repetition, and I feel like the hard work maybe starts coming along.

Q. The winning streak you're on right now is probably one of the longest of your career. How does it feel to be on court? Does it translate to trying different shots like the one you described before?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think definitely it's the reason why maybe the big shots in the important moments they seem more natural, I would say, and you're not maybe thinking about it twice like you would in maybe some other situations.

I'm happy where I am, I'm happy with how things are, and I'm happy with how things were the last few months.

I'm in the quarterfinals now, and from here on, the matches will definitely not get easier.

Q. Right now Lloyd is up in his match against Opelka. You have had two matches against him, both competitive, one very recently. How would you describe your matchup with him and what the keys would be?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think he's somebody that is improving a lot this year. I think, I have said that to someone, I don't remember who it was, in the locker room. I said, like, I feel Lloyd has been winning two, three matches every single week, doesn't matter where he's playing. He's showing the high level here again.

Of course the match is not over yet, but if it's against Lloyd, he's playing incredible and he's also serving incredible. In Cincinnati I was struggling a lot to return his serve in the first set. Yeah, it's gonna be a tough one, definitely.

Q. If it's Reilly, how would you describe what you have seen of him not knowing as much firsthand?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: The big difference between Reilly this year and I think the last years is how he's playing from the baseline. He's gotten a lot more stable, gotten a lot more calm playing from the baseline.

Before I feel like he was somebody that hit the ball as hard as he can every single shot, because he didn't want to go into the rally. I feel like now he's a lot more comfortable from the back of the court. That's why he's where he is right now.

Q. Since winning the gold medal, how much greater do you think your confidence is and positive mindset that you have?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I mean, I talked about this a lot. I think the Novak match gave me a lot, because I was down and out basically from the match. Coming back against the World No. 1 the way I did and I won what, 10 out of 11 games, then after being a break down in the second set, that did give me something.

I'm hoping to use it and continue using it here.

Q. I wanted to ask you a question about decision-making. On court, in the moment, what is the most important part of decision-making before a shot or for strategy? And also, in your career, what has been the most important decision that you have made?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, on the court it's not thinking about it. It's whatever comes to mind first, that's what you're doing. That's what you have to do, because if you start overthinking, you don't have the time to do that on court, everything happens in a split second.

I think the moment players start overthinking, you can see it on court. Tennis is a natural game, a game of feel, as well. Whatever you're feeling in that moment is the right decision.

Yeah, most important decision in my life was I think taking control of my own life. That's what I have done I think this year, beginning of this year. I'm taking control over everything, of my life, of my home in Monaco, of my business life, of my management, of companies that I want to work with, everything is happening and going through me, which before everything was happening with the people I hired, which is a big difference. I feel like that shows on court, because that also does give you confidence.

If you are in control of your own life, you are in control of your tennis. Players and people, I have my parents around, I have my brother around, I have my team around. That didn't change. But the decision-making in everything, it changed in a way that I am the one calling all the shots, in a way, and that is a huge difference.