Alexander Zverev celebrates winning the 2024 Italian Open

Alexander Zverev asserted he is both capable of beating and losing to anyone as he discussed his French Open title hopes following his Rome Masters victory. 

The world No 4 declared everything is on his “own racket”, while he identified Roland Garros as the tournament he wants to win more than any other.

Zverev produced a dominant serving display to overcame Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-4 in the final of the Italian Open on Sunday.

The title, which was Zverev’s sixth at Masters 1000 level, is the biggest he has won since suffering a serious ankle injury at the 2022 French Open.

The German reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros in each of the last three years and he holds a strong 28-8 (78%) record in Paris — making it his most successful Grand Slam event.

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After his win against Jarry at the Foro Italico, Zverev addressed whether this year’s French Open presented a big opportunity for him given the doubts over the other leading contenders.

“Look, I’ve said it many times before, and I’m going to say it again: I’m somebody that I know when I don’t play well, I can lose to anyone, but when I play well, I know I can beat anyone,” he said in his post-tournament press conference.

“That’s my mindset. That’s how I think about it. I know I have to focus on myself, to find my rhythm in Paris the way I did here. Then everything is on my own racket.”

The 27-year-old was asked whether he felt he has unfinished business at Roland Garros due to the injury that forced him to retire in his last four match with Rafael Nadal two years ago.

“That’s an interesting question because obviously being there three times in the semi-finals in a row, playing some of the best tennis of my life there when I injured my ankle, so in general it is always determined and marked in my calendar throughout the past few years,” Zverev explained.

“This year there’s no exception. That’s the one that I want to win. That’s the one that I look forward [to] the most maybe throughout the year. I’m going to do everything I can this year and we’ll see where I can end up.”

Zverev added on why the French Open is the tournament he most wants to win: “Because it’s clay, to start with. It’s the most physical one for me, in my opinion.

“It’s the physically toughest one. But I think it’s the one where I have the most memories, good or bad. US Open, yes, I was two points away from winning the title. Of course, that’s also one that kind of sticks out.

“Roland Garros, so close to being in the final in 2021 I felt like. I was playing some of the best tennis of my life in 2022. Those kind of things, they are still in the back of my mind. Yeah, that’s the one that I want to do well in.”

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