Alexander Zverev 'hungrier and more motivated than ever' to win a Grand Slam after US Open final

ByEurosport

Updated 23/03/2021 at 22:41 GMT

After coming so close to winning his maiden Grand Slam last year in New York, Alexander Zverev is determined to add one to his collection soon. The world No 7 lost in the final of the US Open to Dominic Thiem after leading by two sets to love and then 5-3 in the final set. He is competing at the Miami Open this week.

Alexander Zverev says he feels hungrier and motivated than ever to win his first Grand Slam title after coming agonisingly close last year.

The 23-year-old led by two sets to love in the 2020 US Open final before losing to Dominic Thiem.

Zverev led 5-3 in the final set and was two points from winning the match, but Thiem eventually won in a tie-break to secure his maiden Grand Slam.

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"That loss made me in a way even hungrier," said Zverev ahead of this week's Miami Open.

"I was two points away from winning my first Grand Slam title at the US Open, but I didn't at the end of the day. You have to look at those things as well.

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"In a way, this year I feel like I'm more motivated than ever to do well. I'm trying to improve every single aspect of the game to give myself the best chance that I can have. I feel like I'm building towards that."

Zverev's improved game was on display at the weekend as he dug deep to dispatch fellow young gun Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Mexican Open.

The big-serving Zverev, who is ranked seventh in the world, said he was not too picky about which Grand Slam title he would like to win first.

"I would like to win them all," he said with a smile before adding that he is most comfortable on hard courts and clay.

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Image credit: Getty Images

But he said he was determined not to get too far ahead of himself.

"I'm looking forward to the next weeks. I'm not trying to think of the Grand Slams right now because the Grand Slams are ... still a little bit far away," he said.

"We have four Masters 1000s events before that. I have other big events before that, as well. I'm trying to focus on that, trying to compete in those events, trying to do the (best) job that I can."

Additional reporting by Reuters

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