Mischa Zverev: “Sascha is emotional, but fair”

Will the dramatic match between Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16 of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo put a permanent strain on the relationship between the two? Mischa Zverev doesn’t believe in it.

by Jens Huiber

last edit: Apr 14, 2023, 10:57 pm

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Alexander and Mischa Zverev

Mischa Zverev was a sought-after discussion partner yesterday, Friday, at the opening press conference for this year’s ATP Tour 250 tournament in Munich. BMW had invited to the plant at the home location, the press crowd was remarkable. The older of the two Zverev brothers was invited in his function as tournament director of the event, which was taking place for the second time, for some of the best wheelchair tennis players in the world – but most of the questions turned to brother Alexander. And there again about his match against Daniil Medvedev in Monte Carlo

There was agreement among all active and ex-professionals such as Mischa Zverev, Oscar Otte and Patrik Kühnen, who, as tournament director of the traditional event at MTTC Iphitos, has to deal with the late cancellation of the injured Matteo Berrettini: It is never a good idea immediately after a match , which you should have won by stepping in front of a TV camera. Kühnen remembered a match against Andrej Cherkassov in which he served twice on the match – like Zverev against Medvedev in Monte Carlo. And didn’t make it either.

Mischa Zverev – “Sascha was just honest”

Be that as it may: After the bankruptcy against Medvedev, Alexander Zverev gave the local Sky reporter a few finds for the treasure trove of quotes. The main thing that stuck is that the Russian is one of the most unfair players on the tour. The handshake was accordingly heartless.

According to the German number one, Medvedev and Zverev actually get along well and have known each other since they were young when they competed against each other in tournaments. In the meantime, however, Daniil Medvedev has shrunk this assessment to a fairly normal extent. Will there be permanent stress between the two?

“I don’t think so,” said Mischa Zverev in Munich. “They are there for three hours. It’s not a matter of life and death, but you want to win. Sascha finally wants to beat the top ten players again and really get going. Of course you are disappointed and emotional. And that’s good too! People always say that the players these days are too boring, they’re slippery. Anything would be artificially fair and friendly. Sascha was just being honest. He was not satisfied with some actions. But also not satisfied with himself how he reacted to these actions.

“What Daniil Medvedev did was within the rules”

Incidentally, he did not speak to his brother after the match, only to his parents. According to Mischa Zverev, he knows how you feel after a defeat like this. And: “What Daniil did was within the rules. Would a Roger Federer have acted similarly? Probably not. Stephen Edberg? Probably no. Brad Gilbert? Probably yes. That’s part of the sport.”

Overall, Mischa Zverev is very happy with the appearance of Sascha. “Sascha is very emotional, but also very fair. Dad always gave us that to take with us. He told us: If you can’t win the match with your punches, then don’t take a bathroom break, grab a towel. A lot of people have said to me, ‘Re-tie your shoelaces before the breakball.’ To which I just asked: What for?”

Mischa Zverev is also particularly satisfied with the fact that Sascha performed well under different conditions: Because the midday matches against Alexander Bublik and Roberto Bautista Agut were completely different from the external circumstances to those in the Medvedev match. In Munich, Alexander Zverev will have to adjust to the latter.