Olympic singles champion in Tokyo in the summer of 2021, Alexander Zverev dreams of being Germany’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics on the Seine in Paris, he explained in the Sunday edition of the tabloid Bild am Sonntag.
“I have always said that the Olympic Games are the greatest thing in an athlete’s career. For me, it’s something special,” said Zverev, on the eve of his entry into contention at the Turin Masters, which closes the tennis season.
“In Paris, there are several factors. Who’s going to carry the flag, that’s also a huge topic for me. There is no greater honor. A mind-blowing dream. It’s something that would make me incredibly happy!” added the former world No.2 (from mid-June to the end of August 2022).
For the next United Cup, at the beginning of January in Perth and Sydney, he will be lined up alongside Angelique Kerber, Olympic singles vice-champion in Rio in 2016, returning from a maternity break. With a mixed doubles association in Paris in the sights? “We haven’t talked about it yet. But we will do it in Australia. The Olympics are 100% my big goal,” Zverev said.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic), Zverev eliminated Novak Djokovic in the semi-final, before going for gold against Karen Khachanov.
Beach volleyball player Laure Ludwig and diving specialist Patrick Hausding were the standard bearers for the German delegation in Tokyo.
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games is scheduled for July 26, 2024, on the Seine. The Olympic tournament will be played on the clay court of Roland Garros, where Zverev reached the semi-finals in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Seriously injured (tear of the three external ligaments of the right ankle) on the courts of Porte d’Auteuil in the semi-final of Roland-Garros 2022 against Rafael Nadal, Zverev made his return to the forefront there this spring.
