Alexander Zverev vs. The World: Is Tennis Rigged for Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?

During his on-court interview, Zverev dropped a bombshell that had fans and pundits raising their eyebrows. “I hate when it’s the same,” he lamented, referring to the court speeds across the ATP Tour. “I think the tournament directors are going towards that direction because they want Jannik [Sinner] and Carlos [Alcaraz] to do well at every tournament, and that’s what they prefer.”

You can almost hear the collective gasp. Zverev, a tour veteran with over a decade of experience, feels the sport is losing its soul. He reminisced about a time when different surfaces demanded different strategies. “We always had different surfaces, you always had tournaments which you liked, always had tournaments which you didn’t like so much,” he explained. “Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface… I think tennis needs game styles, tennis needs a little bit of variety, and I think we’re lacking that right now.”

It’s a spicy take, for sure. But here’s the kicker: he’s not the only one saying it. Even the maestro himself, Roger Federer, recently echoed similar sentiments. Federer suggested that tournament organizers are playing it safe, slowing down courts to ensure their star attractions—namely Alcaraz and Sinner—make it to the finals. “I kind of like Sinner-Alcaraz in the finals, you know? It kind of works for the game,” Federer said, mimicking what he believes is the tournament directors’ mindset. When a legend like Federer cosigns your conspiracy theory, it suddenly carries a lot more weight.

A Year of Frustration for Zverev

This outburst isn’t happening in a vacuum. Zverev’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster of “what-ifs” and physical setbacks. Just as he was wrapping up his win against Royer, he landed awkwardly on his toe and needed a physio. “I barely could do a step,” he admitted, casting doubt on his future in the tournament. “Moving forward, seeing if I’ll ever be healthy this year again, because it’s been a struggle.”

Before Shanghai even began, Zverev was vocal about a persistent back issue, calling his injuries “quite annoying.” It’s hard not to connect the dots. A player battling his own body, watching two younger, healthier rivals seemingly get every advantage, is bound to feel a little salty. Is his frustration boiling over and clouding his judgment, or is he just brave enough to say what others are thinking?

For now, Zverev has to patch himself up for a third-round match against another Frenchman, Arthur Rinderknech—the very player who handed him a shocking first-round exit at Wimbledon. With a potential path to his first Masters 1000 final of the year, the stakes are high. But you have to wonder if, mentally, he’s already fighting a battle against more than just his next opponent. He’s fighting against what he perceives as a system designed to keep him out of the winner’s circle.