US OPEN

September 1, 2024

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/B. Nakashima

3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Sascha, if you could, your thoughts on the win.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, extremely pleased with my level of play in the last three sets. Picked it up a lot after the first set where I thought I did a little bit too many mistakes.

But, yeah, I'm happy with the level in the last three sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's a little uncomfortable with him here asking this question, but some people wouldn't be all that great having their father and their brother as a coach. I would be one of those people. I'm sort of curious how it all works with you and, like --

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: It doesn't. It's horrible.

Q. Is it?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No.

Q. I mean, in terms of different relationships during the match, off the court, how do you switch on and off?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, off the court I just spend zero time with my father, so that's a starting point. We have enough of each other on the court. But look, I mean, we're all grown-ups. We all have a family ourselves. We all know how it works to have a family.

Yeah, I mean, I enjoy it because your family is always close. You don't get homesick too much maybe. It depends how your relationship is I think on the court and off the court.

I know that some players if they have their parents as coaches, they have quite a toxic relationship. There's a lot of fighting going on. There's a lot of arguing. There's a lot of, you know, just not healthy stuff I would say.

Where I have to say that's not the case with us at all. We understand each other off the court the moment we get off it, and on the court it's about practice, it's about improving.

But, I don't know, I don't know what else to say, to be honest. It's working out well. I'm No. 4 in the world, so it's okay (laughing).

Q. Speaking of being No. 4 in the world, a lot of players would beat themselves up about getting close to things and not necessarily finishing it off. How have you done the opposite, continuing to push toward those goals that have proved elusive so far?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: As you said, I was very close a few times. I think the injury obviously didn't help in 2022. I think I was very close to becoming World No. 1 at that stage. Just mathematically and points-wise.

Then I wasn't able to play for seven months, so obviously that was a big hit. But me, I'm still very motivated. I still want to achieve some of my dreams. I still want to achieve some of my goals that I have. I'm happy with the level of tennis I'm playing. I'm happy where I am, especially post-injury.

Yeah, we'll see how this week will go.

Q. You play Taylor next, and he's obviously no stranger to you. What have been the margins and the keys in the matches you've had so far?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, I mean, we had some very good matches, very tough battles as well in the past. At Wimbledon especially I feel like it was quite a good match.

Of course, I was not 100% healthy. I was not able to move the way I wanted to move, but still, all in all it was a good match. I'm obviously looking forward to another tough battle.

We're in a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam stage. I think there's no easy matches from now moving forward.