Alexander Zverev ensured he would end 2026 with more Grand Slam titles than any other man after this impressive win at the US Open, but his doubters are keen to promote the idea that good fortune has been key to ending his long wait for glory in major championships.
Zverev was the nearly man of men’s tennis as he constantly came up short at the back end of Grand Slam events as the last two generations of champions were a step ahead of him.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic blocked his path to Grand Slam glory for the opening years of his career and then Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner put him in the shade in recent years.
Zverev ended his wait for Grand Slam glory when he won the French Open in June and he backed that up by winning the US Open earlier this month.
Those two wins cemented Zverev’s status as one of the greats of the game, but critics were quick to point out that he only beat one top ten player on his way to winning his two major titles, overcoming No 9 seed Ben Shelton in the US Open final.
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There is no doubt the injuries affecting Alcaraz and Sinner have helped Zverev’s Grand Slam push in 2026, but German tennis legend Boris Becker is among those rejecting claims that is the only reason his compatriot won in Paris and New York.
Speaking on his podcast with Andrea Petkovic, Becker said: “I thought it was a bit of a shame after that then again the critics came saying, ‘Yeah, he only won because Alcaraz and Sinner didn’t play, or Alcaraz did play and Sinner was injured.’
“Or ‘He had an easy draw.’ So first, point one: it’s not his fault if Sinner gets injured before. It’s not his fault if Alcaraz spent four months injured, and thankfully, is back again, and in the quarters against Shelton, loses.
“It’s not his fault if his seeds in that half all lose early. He can only beat the opponent he has to face on the court. I actually find that an absolute disgrace. Incredible disrespect toward his performance.
“If that were a one-off fluke, okay. He’s in the final for a third Grand Slam in a row. Actually, he should in Melbourne – where he served for the match against Alcaraz in the semi – also been in the final. This guy could have been in the final of all four Slams this year.
“He was in three, he is the current Roland Garros champion, Wimbledon finalist. Now people have to finally – in the Autumn of his career – pay him the respect he deserves.
“I’m not wearing a German cap here. I see it as an athlete, as a tennis player. You have to show players respect who simply deliver their performance, and so that is why I’m very happy that Sascha won.”
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Tennis great John McEnroe created headlines when he called for Alcaraz and Sinner to return moments after Zverev’s win at the US Open and there appears to be a begrudging reluctance to salute the new double Grand Slam winner despite his long wait for glory ending this year.
The Sky Sports analysis of his US Open win also asked questions around whether he ‘got lucky’ to avoid playing Alcaraz or Sinner, while many of the journalists covering tennis have made similar comments.
Zverev himself suggested Sinner is still the man to beat when the Italian is fully fit, but the refusal of many on social media an and even luminaries in the sport to acknowledge Zverev’s achievements this season highlights the lack of support he continues to have for a variety of reasons.
The domestic abuse allegations that he passionately denied after accusations were thrown at him by former girlfriends are always raised and referenced by his detractors.
The new US Open champion might not win a popularity contest among tennis fans, but he won’t be concerned by that after a year that has allowed him to complete so many of his dreams.
