Zverev: Slower courts used to aid Sinner, Alcaraz

Alexander Zverev says tourney organizers are slowing down tennis courts to favour Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Zverev, the satellite No. 3, overcame an wounded scare to bushed Valentin Royer 6-4, 6-4 astatine the Shanghai Masters connected Saturday but past voiced his displeasure with the mode helium felt the athletics was heading.

"I hatred erstwhile it's the same, to beryllium honest," Zverev said successful his on-court interview. "I deliberation the tourney directors are going towards that absorption because, obviously, they privation Jannik and Carlos to bash good each tournament, and that's what they prefer.

"Nowadays, you tin play astir the aforesaid mode connected each surface. I don't similar it. I'm not a instrumentality of it. I deliberation tennis needs antithetic crippled styles, tennis needs a small spot of variety, and I deliberation we're lacking that close now."

Alcaraz and Sinner are the lone 2 players to clasp the No. 1 ranking since June 2024. They divided this year's 4 Grand Slams, and some are coming disconnected rubric wins -- Sinner astatine the China Open and Alcaraz astatine the Japan Open -- though Alcaraz is missing the Shanghai Masters owed to a near ankle injury.

Zverev had to beryllium treated connected tribunal for a toed wounded erstwhile serving for the lucifer astatine 5-4, but it did not halt his progress.

"I landed comic connected my toe, and aft that I could hardly bash a step, truthful we'll spot what it is," helium said. "We volition spot if I volition ever beryllium steadfast this twelvemonth again, due to the fact that it's been a struggle, but I'm blessed to beryllium through."

PA contributed to this report.