Alexander Zverev feeling the effects of Roland Garros title as Halle run continues

Alexander Zverev has admitted the demands of life after Roland Garros are starting to catch up with him, even as he continues his run at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle.

The world No. 3 claimed his first Grand Slam title earlier this month, beating Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final.

He then switched to grass and opened his Halle campaign with a hard-fought 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over Vít Kopřiva.

Speaking after that match, Zverev admitted that the added attention and commitments following his Paris breakthrough have taken a toll, although he made clear that he sees them as a positive consequence of his success.

Zverev explains impact of Roland Garros win

After years of trying to win a major title, Zverev’s breakthrough in Paris has changed the conversation around his career.

But with that success has come a new set of demands and a busier schedule away from the court.

“It’s not difficult. But of course, as we’ve all said, I had a lot going on. I have to invest a lot outside the court,” Zverev said after his win over Kopřiva.

“But again: these are positive things, and if I’m a bit tired because of that now, I’m more than happy to accept it, because all of these things are connected to something positive.”

He added: “Yes, I may be a bit more tired. Yes, I may have put in a few extra efforts, but again: I would love to do this after every Grand Slam tournament.”

Zverev’s comments were not complaints. They were an acknowledgement of how life changes after a first major title.

Zverev keeps winning in Halle after major breakthrough

Adjusting from clay to grass is never simple, and Zverev’s first match back reflected that.

He needed two hours and 10 minutes to get past Kopřiva, firing 12 aces and winning 74 percent of his first-serve points, according to ATP’s official report.

The victory also saw him equal Rafael Nadal’s ATP 500 record of 121 match wins at that level.

Zverev backed that up with a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Yannick Hanfmann to reach the Halle quarter-finals.

He remains ranked third in the world, but the immediate story is how he is handling the transition from clay to grass and the extra demands that come with being a Grand Slam champion.

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