Winning 6 Titles This Year, Zverev Aims For 2022 For Best Season Of His Career

JAKARTA - Germany's Alexander Zverev says he is mature enough to build on his success. The world number three hopes to use the momentum from his strong year-end rankings in 2021 as a stepping stone to the best season of his career.

Zverev won six titles this year, including Tokyo Olympic gold and two Masters titles in Madrid and Cincinnati, also capping an unforgettable season by capturing his second ATP Finals trophy last month in Turin.

The 24-year-old will start the 2022 season in Sydney where he will lead Germany in the ATP Cup.

"I won the finals in 2018 and had a bad 2019. I hope I can change that", Zverev said as quoted by Antara from Reuters, Friday.

"I wish I could have done it differently. I was much younger then. Maybe also because I didn't know how to win big titles".

"I'm 21 going into the 2019 season. I feel like I'm a slightly different player but I'm also a different person, I think. I have more experience on the pitch, I have more experience off the pitch".

"I know how to handle maybe the media a little better. I know how to handle pressure maybe a little bit better too".

"After the Olympics, I continued to play great tennis. I hope I can still use that momentum until 2022, and hopefully have the best season of my career so far", he added.

Germany is in Group C of 16 teams and will open their game against England on Sunday with Zverev facing world number 12 Cameron Norrie in the second singles match. Canada and the United States are the other teams in the group.

With Zverev's success in 2021 and Daniil Medvedev beating top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the US Open final, the younger generation seems poised to take on the "older generation", and the German expects the next year to be even more exciting for the sport.

"The first six months of the season, Novak dominated tennis. In the last six months of the season, I think the title is a bit more divided, namely divided between Novak, Daniil and myself", said Zverev.

"I'm looking forward to the start of the season, looking forward to the season in general".