By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, November 2, 2026
Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA
Alexander Zverev channeled past pain into proactive pleasure winning his maiden major championship at Roland Garros.
Returning to Paris as new world No. 1 today, Zverev shared his primary goals for the 2027 season.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Zverev aims to contend for all four Grand Slam titles, win more major championships and challenge former world No. 1 players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at full strength next season.
“I think I for sure had a great season, and I’m very happy with the season that I have had, winning two Grand Slams, World No. 1, and all that, for sure,” Zverev told the media at the Rolex Paris Masters. “But of course there are so many other things that I still want to achieve and I still have the goals to achieve. And I think it’s very important in any sports or any person’s life to have certain goals that are set for you, which I definitely do.
“I’m looking forward to the top two guys being healthy again, playing fully and competing with them. I look forward to that challenge, as well.”
Former Olympic gold medal champion Zverev contested three of the four Grand Slam finals this season.
US Open champion Zverev played his maiden Wimbledon final and was two sets from the title when Sinner turned up the heat battering the German’s wounded forehand wing. Sinner successfully defended his Wimbledon championship with a 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 win over Zverev on Centre Court.
“I feel like this year was the first time I could play on the grass court in my life (smiling). Before, I didn’t know what to do on the grass court,” said Zverev, who owns 2016 grass-court win over Hall of Famer Roger Federer. “I definitely feel like I can compete for all the four Grand Slams.
“Of course, hopefully getting a few more would be great for me.”
The top-seeded Zverev will face stylish Italian shotmaker Lorenzo Musetti in his Rolex Paris Masters opener in his first Paris match since winning Roland Garros.
Forced to a fifth set, Zverev unleashed jolting strikes hammering haunting memories and hitting his way into history winning his maiden major championship on June 7th in the French Open final.
The second-seeded Zverev out-dueled Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 In the Roland Garros final to finally reach the Grand Slam promised land.
Asked to compare winning a Grand Slam title to reaching world No. 1, Zverev said both are awesome achievements and said his major mastery evoked feelings of fulfillment and relief.
“It’s a different feeling because in Paris when I won my first Grand Slam, it was different kind of emotions, because I was thinking that I was, first, maybe never going to do it. I had a lot of heartbreaks, a lot of tough moments, I had a lot of losses in the finals,” Zverev said. “So that was a different kind of feeling. To finally
make it, it was the biggest relief that I have ever felt in my career.
“But both trophies are individually special and individually different, because winning Grand Slam is the biggest tournament that we can win in tennis. For me, the Olympics is also one of the biggest trophies that you can win.
“But this, you have to play the best season for an entire year. It’s a completely different feeling, but this feels special, as well.”
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