VIENNA/STARNBERG, October 24, 2026

Ahead of the main draw of the Erste Bank Open, top seed Alexander Zverev addressed the media on Saturday, discussing his strong connection with Vienna, the unique atmosphere at the Wiener Stadthalle and his new ambitions after capturing his first two Grand Slam titles of the season in Paris and New York. The German is also set to finish the tennis year as the world No. 1.

Zverev once again underlined why Vienna and the Erste Bank Open hold a special place in his heart. The reigning French Open and US Open champion spoke enthusiastically about the Austrian capital and the tournament, highlighting the experience of returning to the city every year.

“I like Vienna. It is always a nice stop for me. I think Vienna is beautiful. It is one of my favourite cities that we get to visit on tour, and I feel very comfortable here,” Zverev said.

The German also praised the tournament’s hospitality and organisation, singling out the catering provided by DO & CO.

“Everything tastes so good here, especially at this tournament. I think it is one of the best catering services we have on the tour,” he remarked. “The people organising this tournament are unique to me and absolutely world-class. There are generally plenty of reasons why I keep coming back to Vienna every time.”

Zverev also expressed his appreciation for the atmosphere inside the Wiener Stadthalle, where he particularly enjoys competing in front of the enthusiastic local crowd.

“I love playing at the Stadthalle. It is very loud and there is always a lot of energy in the arena. The fans always support me when I am on the court, so naturally, that is something I really enjoy.”

New Ambitions After Grand Slam Breakthrough

Reflecting on his successful season, Zverev explained how winning his maiden Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros helped him overcome a significant amount of pressure. Having already won tournaments at every other level of the sport, finally lifting a major trophy in Paris proved to be a turning point and gave him the confidence to follow it up with another triumph at the US Open.

“I had won tournaments at every other level, so the victory in Paris took a lot of pressure off me. That allowed me to be successful in New York as well,” he explained.

Following his breakthrough at Roland-Garros, Zverev set himself another major target: reaching the top of the ATP Rankings. He now has the opportunity to achieve that milestone in Vienna, where reaching the quarterfinals of the Erste Bank Open would secure him the year-end No. 1 ranking.

His campaign in the Austrian capital begins against rising Spanish talent Martin Landaluce. Should Zverev win his opening match, he will face the winner of the encounter between Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor and American Brandon Nakashima in the round of 16.

However, the German has already started looking beyond his immediate ambitions. With two Grand Slam titles now under his belt, he is determined to give himself the opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam.

“I want to have the chance to win the other two Grand Slams as well. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to be successful in Paris and New York again, but it would be something special for me. Especially because, for the first time this year, I felt that I could also compete on grass,” Zverev said.

“Having a chance to win the title at all four Grand Slams is one of my next goals.”