Zverev On Olympic Gold: "I Wouldn't Trade It For Any Slam"

Alexander Zverev had no doubts when asked whether he would trade his Tokyo Olympic gold for a Grand Slam title: "No chance." The German said it in Paris after reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros, beating Spaniard Rafael Jodar 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3.

"The gold medal is the hardest thing to win for me, because you only get one shot every four years," he explained. "You do it for your country, you do it for the people back home. I'll never trade my gold medal for anything, but I wouldn't mind adding a few more things to the list."

That last line carries weight, because the list Zverev is hinting at has an obvious gap: three Slam finals played, three Slam finals lost. The 2020 US Open against Thiem, after being two sets up. The 2024 Roland Garros against Alcaraz. The 2025 Australian Open against Sinner. A player who has gone all the way at the biggest tournaments without ever closing the deal, and who right here in Paris could find himself facing a fourth chance.

The hierarchy Zverev claims is unusual in tennis, where the Slam remains the yardstick by which careers are measured. But Tokyo gold is something neither Federer in singles, nor Sinner, nor Alcaraz has yet put on the shelf. In the semifinal the German will face the winner between Brazil's Fonseca and the Czech Mensik, two young players who, if ever, will reach their first Olympic medal a few years from now.