Zverev and Lendl end - "Two coaches are one too many"
The collaboration between Alexander Zverev and Ivan Lendl is history after less than a year. The greatest joint success is the title at the ATP Finals 2018.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit:
Jul 26, 2019, 08:20 pm
When Alexander Zverev frankly accused his top tennis whisperer Ivan Lendl a week ago that he cared more about golf than about working together, Lendl could have quickly drawn the consequences. But Lendl reluctantly waited until there was an actually impossible time. Zverev, his protégé and employer, had reached the quarter-finals at Rothenbaum in Hamburg, Zverev even said on Thursday evening that he continued to enjoy working with Lendl and was looking forward to seeing them again soon at the tournaments of the American hard court series.
But on the night of Friday, Zverev was probably already slumbering gently in the "Grand Elysee" hotel near the tournament site, then Lendl, as had long been expected by industry insiders, pulled the ripcord and sent his very special return across the Atlantic - it was nothing short of an unfriendly act, a targeted shot in the middle of a tournament engagement by Zverev. And what Lendl sent after the 22-year-old ATP world champion in his statement were partly poisoned compliments: "One day" Zverev could still be a big player, but at the moment the young German has to deal with too many problems off the court. That does not allow him, Lendl, to work according to his usual philosophy. The dry end of the divorce paper, Lendl's resignation from Zverev's super coach position: "I wish him all the best for the future."
After all, the good wish was already fruitful at Zverev's emotional home game, because on Friday the Hamburg boy moved to a 4: 6, 7: 5, 6: 2 come win after a wild, daring race to win against the Serbian Filip Krajinovic to the semi-finals. In the meantime, Zverev had already operated on a 2-6 and 2-5 deficit in the deep red area on the Center Court. "I was surprised that this explanation came during an ongoing tournament," Zverev said afterwards, "but it was somehow clear that we would go in different directions. But I have great respect for the person Ivan Lendl. ”His next opponent at Rothenbaum is defending champion Nikoloz Basilaschwili (Georgia).
Boris Becker speculates
It was, all in all, a tragicomic end to a partnership that started almost exactly a year ago in the run-up to the 2018 US Open, which experienced an astonishingly fast climax with the Coup Zverevs at the roaring London season finale in November - and that afterwards broke down because jealousies and vanities in Team Zverev hindered any work progress. The sad reality before the abrupt breakup was months of stagnation, frustration, disappointing defeats on big stages, the clash of important people. What Boris Becker had expressed as dark speculation during his detour to the Hamburg tennis court - "Something broke at the beginning of the year" - has been obvious to Zverev since the messed up Wimbledon tournament at the latest: The broken relationship between father Alexander Zverev and Lendl. A quote from the absent Papa Zverev was launched, it spoke volumes, it read: "Two coaches are one too many."
Wimbledon, it was basically the end of an egg dance that the tennis company Zverev and his boss Alexander jun. had performed for a long, long time. First, the absence of Daddy Zverev was explained several times with health problems, then it was later said that Lendl's absence was related to a pollen allergy, which is why he was indispensable for the spring competitions in Europe. Too bad that Lendl was spotted at a sponsorship appointment in Paris during the French Open, where he wasn't part of the coaching appointment. When Lendl finally got back on board, at the lawn spectacle in Halle, father Zverev quickly left - together the former companions from the times of the Eastern Bloc could no longer stand it. Lendl's rather casual attitude to work, the more arbitrary coming and going, had probably provoked the anger of Papa Zverev, who is said to be boiling when the bills of the former world number one and Grand Slam winner landed on the table. Estimated daily allowance: 5,000 euros.
Zverev's attack on Lendl's authority
In a fit of naivety, Zverev junior had apparently believed that there could be a fresh start after the turmoil in his team - a year after the sealed alliance, now before the US Open 2019. His sharp Hamburg statements, the reference to the golf Tick Lendls, calling for more commitment, was such a direct attack on the authority of the native Czech that he could not help but announce his resignation. Lendl's reference to the problematic situation in the Zverev area, to the professional's great noise with his manager Patricio Apey, was only an excuse.
Lendl shouldn't have been bothered by the posse, which was even held in court, but he was part of the problem himself. He and father Zverev. A duo that could no longer work together for the benefit of Zverev junior, but made progress falter. Becker, the head of German men's tennis and occasional advisor from Zverev, had already got to the point during his flying visit: “The decision was made to hire Ivan Lendl. Then you have to do it right, or you have to stop. This situation is unsatisfactory for anyone. “Man - in the end it wasn't the Zverevs themselves, but Lendl who staged the quit. Right in the middle of Zverev's home game at Hamburg's Rothenbaum.
And Zverev junior coach is and remains Zverev senior.