Alexander Zverev Defended After Major Title Debate
Greg Rusedski dismissed claims that Alexander Zverev's two major titles were the product of luck.
Alexander Zverev's two major titles have prompted debate over the paths he faced, but Greg Rusedski rejected claims that the German was simply fortunate. Zverev is also set to reach the top ranking for the first time.
Rusedski rejects luck narrative
Alexander Zverev has drawn a forceful defense after criticism of his major-winning season. The defense is emphatic. Former No. 4 Greg Rusedski argued that Zverev's persistence and long-term work should be recognized rather than reduced to absences elsewhere in the draw.
Rusedski called the suggestion “absolute crap.” He said a player who wins a Slam has earned it, while stressing that Zverev claimed two majors during the season. The argument centers on the pressure Zverev carried after years of near misses at the sport's biggest events.
Breakthrough came in Paris
Zverev's first major arrived at the French Open, where he beat Flavio Cobolli in a five-set final. It changed a difficult record. Before Paris, Zverev had lost his previous 0-3 Grand Slam finals, despite being widely viewed as a player capable of winning one.
Cobolli is No. 7 and has gone 6-4 across his last ten completed matches. That adds context to the opponent Zverev overcame in the final, even if debate around the title has focused more heavily on absent or injured rivals. A first Slam often shifts the discussion around a player. For Zverev, it also removed the question that had followed his major career.
Second title raised the debate
At the US Open, Zverev followed up by defeating Ben Shelton in a four-set championship match. Shelton is No. 9. The American has a 6-4 record in his last ten completed matches, giving Zverev another high-level final opponent during his title run.
The criticism rests on Zverev having only one win over a top 10 opponent across the two title campaigns, while his season record against that group stands at 2-8. Carlos Alcaraz missed major events with a wrist problem, and Jannik Sinner was absent from the US Open with a knee injury. Djokovic was also cited in the discussion. Rusedski's point was simpler: every champion benefits from circumstances at times.
Top ranking now awaits
Zverev is set to become world No. 1 for the first time. His Court Shark profile currently places him at No. 2, with an 8-2 mark from his last ten completed matches. That recent form helps explain why the ranking move is coming now, even amid arguments about the season's strongest fields.
His latest match was a Wimbledon final loss to Sinner. Alcaraz also had a layoff of more than four months, while Sinner has ended his season early. Those developments shaped the route available to Zverev, but they do not erase two major trophies. Rusedski's defense was rooted in that distinction. Opportunity can matter, yet finishing a major title run still demands sustained winning under pressure.
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