Zverev: Djokovic Has $400 Million in the Bank
The world No. 4 believes the absence of the biggest stars from Masters events is due to an overloaded calendar, not a fight for bonuses, while Novak has proposed a radical change to the points system.
The world No. 4 believes the absence of the biggest stars from Masters events is due to an overloaded calendar, not a fight for bonuses, while Novak has proposed a radical change to the points system.
The Rogers Cup in Canada has been left without the biggest names in tennis, and the absences of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic have reignited the debate over the congested calendar. Alexander Zverev, the world No. 4, is convinced that the reasons are not financial, especially when it comes to the Serbian star.
In a statement to Kurir.rs, Zverev emphasized that he believes Djokovic has more than $400 million in his account and that bonuses and his position in the world rankings are not decisive for him. "Do you really think bonuses matter to Novak? I believe he has, if I may guess, more than $400 million in the bank, so I don't think that's important to him. He cares even less about his world ranking," Zverev said.
In his opinion, the real problem lies in the extended duration of Masters tournaments. Events like the Rogers Cup now last as long as 12 days, which adds extra strain on players in the middle of the season. "If the format were to return to the old one, with a duration of seven days, we could talk about it. But if we have to be at these events for 2.5 weeks, and that in the middle of the season at Grand Slams, then you can't force us. I'm sorry, but this is a big nonsense," the German said.
Zverev also explained why he nevertheless decided to compete in Canada, although he admits he does not expect a top-level performance. "Some players need more matches to be in form, others need fewer. I belong to the first group. I have to play a lot. I don't believe I'll be in top form here, but it will be better in Cincinnati, and best in New York," he added. His words confirm the trend in which top players are increasingly selective about their tournaments, prioritizing the Grand Slams.
While debates rage over the calendar, Novak Djokovic, in a conversation with influencer Nick Coutracos, proposed a new points system. "I think tennis needs a new scoring system; sets shouldn't be played to six games," Djokovic said, as reported by Telegram.hr. His idea involves sets to four games, abolishing the advantage at 40-40, and playing best of three sets. "That way matches wouldn't last more than two hours; I think that's best for everyone," he added.
This system has already been tried at the Next Gen tournament for players under 21, which also featured Croatian tennis player Dino Prižmić. Young Alexander Blockx, who competed in that event, supported the format. "I liked the format. It was different, but it suits me because I'm good under pressure. I played well until the final, and I think it's not a bad idea. I won't play that tournament anymore, but I like that there's no advantage at 40-40; the game is much faster then," Blockx told Ofenziva during his appearance at ATP Umag.
The absence of the biggest names from the Masters in Canada and Djokovic's proposal for a new scoring system clearly show that the tennis world is increasingly calling for changes that would ease the burden on players and adapt the sport to modern times.
