According to Alexander Zverev, Wimbledon will feature the most open draw in the previous 20 years. The world No.
4 seeks to improve on his remarkable run to his second Grand Slam final at the French Open this year. He has never advanced past the round of 16 at the All England Club.With Rafael Nadal taking a break, Andy Murray arriving with a physical problem, and Roger Federer retiring in 2022, Zverev believes it will be an open draw and a fantastic chance for the remaining players.
The German tennis player qualified for Wimbledon by participating in the ATP 500 Halle Open, where he lost to fifth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals. Zverev made a positive impression on grass despite the defeat, and with his stellar record of 15 victories in his previous 17 games, he is likely to be among the favorites at Wimbledon.
In terms of favorites and possible winners, I believe this to be the most open Wimbledon Championship in perhaps 20 years,” Zverev remarked. “I think there’s multiple guys who have a very decent chance of going deep and a very decent chance of winning the tournament.”It hasn’t been like that, in my opinion, since Roger stopped playing, perhaps twenty years ago. Andy, Novak, and Rafa followed Roger. I think this year is extremely different,” the two-time Grand Slam runner-up said.
Federer (eight championships) and Djokovic (seven titles) have dominated the event since Lleyton Hewitt won it in 2002. Furthermore, Murray and Nadal each took home two championships, with Carlos Alcaraz emerging as the most recent victor at SW19 in 2023.
“It’s the first time I really feel like I’m here to be a competitor, to maybe win the title,” Zverev stated. “The last time I was here, I didn’t feel that way. I didn’t think I was competent. I didn’t think I was competent. In order to win this tournament, I might need a little more good fortune as well as a few favorable events to occur,” he continued.
“Possibly more than at previous Grand Slams. Do I think I can win if all those things line up, if all those things could go my way for once? Then I certainly can.”