Alexander Zverev delivered a simple declarative to coach Ivan Lendl: Leave your golf game on the golf course and focus on your job.
When Zverev returns to action in Hamburg next week, Lendl won't be there.
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The fifth-ranked German said he's tired of Lendl talking golf and his dogs during practice sessions and has admonished his coach to focus on tennis.
“Sometimes we go on the practice court," Zverev told the media in Hamburg. "The training is over two hours. And for half an hour he stands with his back to me and tells me about his round of golf.”
Zverev suggested the Hall of Famer said while "golf and his little dog" sometimes seem to be Lendl's primary topics of conversation, he's informed his coach to concentrate on his job and says the partnership will continue.
Following his Wimbledon opening-round exit last month, Zverev admitted his confidence level is "below zero."
Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely bounced Zverev out of the Wimbledon first round, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. It was Zverev's first career opening-round exit at SW19 and triggered a candid confession.
"It was kind of a typical Grand Slam match for me," Zverev said. "I started off well, then one or two things don't go my way, and everything kind of a little bit falls apart. Yeah, I'm not very high on confidence right now."
Lendl and Zverev began working together last August when Zverev opted for Lendl over fellow Hall of Famer Boris Becker
Ultimately, Zverev said he chose Lendl over Becker for two reasons:
1. Zverev's fitness trainer, Jez Green, previously worked with Lendl on Andy Murray's team and highly recommended him.
2. Zverev believed Lendl's life is simpler than Becker's at this point.
"Obviously the two options for me were Boris and him," Zverev said. "I always said it's the only options that I thought of were those two people. One reason was because team members of mine have worked with Ivan before. They know what he brings to the table.
"Jez, who is also a very good friend, not just a trainer, we've been talking a lot who would be a great person. He always felt that Ivan was. He just knows what Ivan brings to the table. That was one."
Zverev suggested his ongoing legal dispute with ex-manager Patricio Apey may soon be resolved.
“Hopefully this issue won’t be an issue any more soon,” Zverev said. “It will become clearer over the next days. Everything will be slowly cleared up so that I can completely concentrate on tennis again.”
Photo credit: Alexander Zverev Instagram