ROLAND GARROS

June 9, 2023

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

C. RUUD/A. Zverev

6-3, 6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Bad luck, Sascha. Not the result you wanted, but you must take some positives out of the two weeks in Paris.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, for sure. Another semifinal here. Very disappointed with today, because I think you can lose but the game just was not there at all.

Big difference unfortunately to the previous matches, but, you know, that's the way it is. He played well. I played very, very much below average. That's how it goes.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Were you 100% fit out there today?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: (Laughter.)

I don't want to take anything away from him, to be honest, but yeah, I had my struggles.

Q. Given the run you had had into the match today, how surprising was it to you that you weren't able to play at that level again?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: It's a tough one, because I think he played extremely well. I had one physical issue, which kind of against him you have to run a lot, you have to fight. Like the previous match, actually. Very, very similar.

Yeah, I wasn't really able to do that. I wasn't really able to push off my serve much, as well. You know, just everything went his way a little bit.

At the end of the day, that's how it goes. If I break him maybe in the second set, then the match maybe can turn around. I don't use those kind of chances, and then at some point it's gonna get tough.

Yeah, look, I would have loved to play a final here, for sure. I saw it as a big opportunity to play a final here. But, you know, he was much, much better than me today. That's the result that there is.

Q. I understand it was very tough year for you, come back after injury, recovery, but what was the most difficult thing during this period? Is it mental part or physical?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think once you start playing again, losing a lot more than maybe you're used to, going out of tournaments earlier than you're used to, that's not easy to come back. Yes, you know you were injured. Yes, you know there's reasons for that, but still, you don't want to accept it, in a way.

That was a bit difficult. I hope now we can kind of move on from that and that can be over. I felt like I played great tennis here until today. It's definitely something that I can build on.

Q. You have obviously won a couple of matches against Novak Djokovic. Do you think Casper has what it takes to beat him in the final?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Look, Casper is in a Grand Slam final for a reason. You know, if you're in a Grand Slam final you have chances because you're that good of a player.

Is Novak the favorite? Yes, of course. There is no question about it. He knows how it's done. He knows how to do it. But Casper is playing great tennis. If I would have to bet money, maybe I wouldn't bet on Casper too much (smiling). Does he have chances? Yes, he does. He's playing amazing tennis and I think he deserves to be in the final.

Q. When you look at your overall tennis over the last two weeks in particular, where do you feel like your game is at in terms of your recovery overall?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think the last two weeks I played exactly how I played last year. I think I was kind of back until today. I think today, again, it was difficult for me out there. There is no question about it. But I think the first five matches were great matches.

Q. Are you at the point where you go into these big championships where you went into them a year ago, thinking that, yeah, I'm ready to win this, I'm ready to win this thing?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: A year ago I was, yeah, if that's what you're asking. You mean now?

Q. Because you have had...

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I feel like now I'm able to, maybe not Wimbledon because, well, it's played on grass, so that's more difficult for me. But generally speaking, yeah, that's the mindset I'll have from now on.

Q. Djokovic is chasing the 23rd victory in Grand Slam. It would be historic. Could there be any worse start for Casper in the final?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think it couldn't be better, to be honest. Novak is one of the best players in the world, that's for sure, but when you're on the brink of history I think that adds a little bit of pressure. You remember the US Open final he had with Medvedev after beating me in the semis still. The pressure, you know, we are all human. Novak is human. We all feel it.

So I think for him, for Casper, that's the best scenario, to be honest.

Q. Sascha, you have enjoyed great support here again. Paris fans really love you. It's been a great two weeks. But what do you think is the biggest challenge for you at this stage of your career, and how determined or motivated are you to try and take your tennis to the next level?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Very. I'm doing everything that I can for it. It's very difficult to speak about it after today, because today, you know, I got my ass kicked. There is no question about it. I was also not playing the way I wanted to play.

But that is definitely... You know my goal. I'm happy that I'm back to where I am so soon after the injury. Normally it takes longer. I was in the semifinal of a Grand Slam. That's very positive. I missed out on a chance, yes, but that's life. We move on.