Becker Refuses to Let Critics Diminish Zverev's Achievement
Alexander Zverev spent years carrying the label of the best player never to win a Grand Slam title. That narrative is firmly behind him now. In 2026, the German collected back-to-back major titles at Roland Garros in Paris and then at the US Open in New York, yet a vocal portion of the tennis community has refused to give him full credit. Former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has heard enough.
Speaking on his podcast alongside Andrea Petkovic, Becker called the criticism directed at Zverev an "absolute disgrace" and an "incredible disrespect" toward a genuine performance. The main complaint from detractors is that Zverev benefited from Jannik Sinner's injury and Carlos Alcaraz's early exit in New York. Becker pushed back hard, pointing out that Zverev had no control over either situation and could only beat the opponents placed in front of him. At the US Open, those opponents included Ben Shelton, Karen Khachanov, Botic van de Zandschulp, and Lorenzo Sonego among others.
A Career-Defining Run That Deserves Full Recognition
Becker also highlighted the broader picture of Zverev's 2026 season to underline just how consistent the 29-year-old has been. Zverev reached the final of three consecutive Grand Slam tournaments this year and, according to Becker, nearly made it four when he served for the match against Alcaraz in the Australian Open semifinal before falling short. Becker stressed that this kind of sustained excellence demands recognition regardless of who was or was not in the draw.
"In the Autumn of his career, people have to finally pay him the respect he deserves," Becker said, making clear his argument was based on athletic merit rather than national loyalty. TennisDraw bracket users who backed Zverev deep into the US Open draw will feel equally vindicated by this remarkable run.
