Alexander Zverev’s shocking first-round exit at Wimbledon this year came with an unexpected side effect that probably had the grounds crew shaking their heads.
The world No. 3 lost to Arthur Rinderknech in a marathon five-set battle that stretched over two days. But it wasn’t just the upset result that caught everyone’s attention.
Zverev’s powerful serve literally left its mark on Centre Court.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev | 28 | 6,885 | 34 - 10 |
Throughout the five-set thriller, Zverev’s serving motion carved out a noticeable groove in the pristine grass. The German has this habit of dragging his right foot forward just before making contact with the ball.
Do that enough times over five sets, and you end up with a pretty obvious dent in what’s supposed to be tennis’s most sacred surface.
The Damage Done
The video footage shows just how dramatic the mark became. It’s the kind of thing that makes Wimbledon’s famously perfectionist grounds staff cringe.
Zverev wasn’t doing anything wrong, of course. Lots of players slide their back foot forward when serving – it’s all about generating maximum power and momentum.
But for whatever reason, his foot movement created a more visible scar on the court than usual. Imagine if he’d actually made a deep run at the tournament – that groove could’ve gotten really ugly.
The 28-year-old accidentally damaged the court, and many think he damages himself by not being aggressive enough during matches.
Against Rinderknech, Zverev stayed way too passive in rallies despite having the tools to really take control of points.
Same Old Problems
It’s the same criticism that followed him after his French Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic earlier this year.
Boris Becker absolutely slammed Zverev’s approach after that match and even suggested he needed a new coach.
That had to sting. Zverev has worked with his father for years, though he did have a brief stint with Ivan Lendl – the same guy who coached Andy Murray to three Grand Slams.
For some reason, the Lendl partnership didn’t click. There’ve been rumors about Zverev potentially working with Becker, but that seems pretty unlikely after their recent public spat.
Mental Struggles
After losing to Rinderknech, Zverev opened up about being in a really tough mental space. He’s even considering therapy, which honestly takes guts to admit publicly.
The two-time ATP Finals champion needs to get his head right if he wants to finally break through for his first Grand Slam.
Think about what he’s already accomplished – an Olympic gold medal, multiple Masters 1000 titles, those ATP Finals wins. That’s a pretty incredible resume.
But there are still two massive goals left: winning a Grand Slam and reaching world No. 1.
If Zverev can check both those boxes before he retires, he’d cement his place as a legitimate tennis legend. The talent is obviously there – it’s just a matter of putting it all together when it matters most.
For now, though, he’s probably just glad he won’t be leaving any more marks on Centre Court anytime soon.
