"It's crucial for me to play well from the start," says Zverev before the French Open

Alexander Zverev wants to replicate his performance from last year at the French Open. A finalist in 2024 after notably eliminating Rafael Nadal in the first round, the German, world number 3, does not approach the Parisian Grand Slam with a lot of confidence.

Defeated in the quarterfinals in Rome (a tournament he was the defending champion of) by Lorenzo Musetti, and then eliminated early by Alexandre Muller at home in Hamburg, Zverev is going through a tough time. Questioned in a press conference about his current form, he is aware that his clay-court tour has not been satisfactory, despite his title in Munich.

"The first match will be very important for me, but once again, the French Open will be very different from other tournaments. It's a Grand Slam, with a best-of-five sets format. There are therefore many things to consider from a physical standpoint.

I remember last year you asked the same question to Carlos (Alcaraz) about his preparation; he hadn't played many matches on the surface, and when he got here, he struggled in his early matches.

But in the end, he managed to recover well, and he won the tournament. I'm not saying that's automatically going to happen for me, but I hope, in any case, that it will be.

Did I have the best preparation? I would say no, especially with what happened in Hamburg. But I know it's crucial for me to play well from the start, and then we'll see how it all unfolds.

I really want to win this tournament, and I have a new opportunity to do so, especially after my failure in the Australian Open final. It will be great to return to a big court, and I hope to seize my chance," assures Zverev, who will start against Learner Tien, for Punto De Break.