Griekspoor criticises Zverev: hit the ball 400 times before each serve

Talon Griekspoor sharply criticized Alexander Zverev's performance in the US Open final, singling out the German's long pre-serve routine and calling the match overall "average."

The Dutchman, whose run at the tournament ended in the first round after a four-set loss to Ben Shelton, said he was not surprised when Shelton later reached the final and faced Zverev. Griekspoor is a former world No. 21.

"I expected that result against Shelton. The head-to-head record was convincingly on Zverev's side," Griekspoor said, before assessing the level of play in the title match.

"Rather average," he said

"In my opinion, the match was rather average. Shelton played very inconsistently, gifting two or three points in every game. You can see what effect a first Grand Slam final has on a player. Zverev wasn't brilliant, but he served excellently. The tiebreak in the second set was decisive," Griekspoor added.

He was especially critical of Zverev's ritual before serving. "At the same time other sports were being broadcast, and I simply find it hard to watch Zverev. Especially at this tournament, where he hit the ball from the court 400 times before each serve. It really was extreme, but obviously it helped him. Maybe I should do the same," the Dutchman said.

Despite the criticism, Zverev leaves the Grand Slam season on a strong note: his run to the US Open final further consolidated his place among the world's top players. Ahead of the Asian swing, he trails Jannik Sinner by 1,810 points on the ATP rankings while leading the ATP Race to the Finals with 8,650 points.

Photo: US Open\/Fejsbuk