German tennis star Alexander Zverev has sparked fresh concerns about his temperament after an explosive outburst during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Practice Session Fury Erupts
The world number three, a finalist at last year's tournament, completely lost his cool during a casual rally with Australian practice partner Alex de Minaur. The incident occurred when Zverev, 28, fluffed a sliced backhand return, sending the ball straight into the net.
In a fiery response, the frustrated German promptly hurled his racket over the electronic advertising boards behind his equipment area, in the general direction of spectators watching the session. This latest incident adds to a growing list of on-court antics from Zverev, who has already thrown his racket multiple times in the nascent 2026 season.
A Rocky Start to the New Season
Zverev's preparations for the first Grand Slam of the year have been far from smooth. His competitive season began with a straight-sets defeat to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz (6-3, 6-4) in the United Cup, a tournament where his racket-smashing also drew criticism.
Entering the Australian Open as the third seed, Zverev is still seeking his maiden Major title despite reaching finals at Melbourne Park, Roland Garros, and Flushing Meadows. His most recent final appearance was a straight-sets loss to Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Rod Laver Arena almost exactly a year ago.
Mental Readiness Under Scrutiny
These repeated outbursts have led to questions about Zverev's mental state as he approaches a tournament where he is considered a leading contender. Reflecting on a challenging 2025 season, Zverev recently acknowledged persistent injury issues but expressed pride in still finishing the year ranked third in the world.
"I had issues with my body. I had injuries throughout the entire season," Zverev stated. "For me, finishing No. 3 in the world, with the issues that I had, I feel like looking back at it, it's still something to be proud of."
He also contrasted his style with rivals like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, describing himself as "more of a diesel engine" who needs time to build form at the start of a tournament.
Expert Analysis: A 'Phenomenal Player' Needing a Tweak
Despite the concerns, former US Open champion Andy Roddick believes Zverev remains a serious threat. Speaking on the 'Served' podcast, Roddick called the German a "phenomenal player" with an "amazing" career resume.
Roddick suggested a tactical adjustment, advocating for more aggressive, first-strike tennis. "Crush and rush off the second serves, serve and volley a little bit more," Roddick proposed. "I think it's about blunt force trauma type aggression where you're choosing to do this and play this way from the first ball."
Zverev will discover his path through the Australian Open draw on Thursday. All eyes will be on whether he can channel his frustrations into a focused campaign or if the pressure of his Grand Slam quest will continue to manifest in damaging on-court explosions.
