CURRENT boys world number one Alexander Zverev has one goal for 2014.
“Win a slam,” the 16 year-old German said.
“I didn’t do that last year so I hope I can win a slam.”
The Australian Open juniors tournament next week is Zverev’s first chance for achieving that goal, but in the meantime he is preparing at the AGL Loy Yang ITF Traralgon Junior International.
“It’s great to have such a good tournament before the Aussie Open,” he said.
“It’s nice, especially the people are nice and the organisation is great, they’re really trying and Tennis Australia is doing a good job for the juniors.”
The Zverev family is no stranger to the Traralgon Junior International, with older brother Mischa having won the singles event in 2004.
Last year, Alexander was eliminated in the final round of qualifying before he was knocked out in the first round of the Australian Open main draw.
It was not until shortly after that his rise to the top of the rankings began, winning tournaments in France and Italy before making the final of the French Open.
Traralgon tournament director Francis Soyer said it was an impressive transformation from Roland Garros onwards.
“From there and the last second half of the year he’s gone on to do some great things and become world number one,” Soyer said.
“That’s a fantastic effort for someone who lost first round of the Australian Open and then the following year to be one of the contenders for the title.”
At least this year Zverev can say his Australian campaign is off to a stronger start.
He reached the semi-final stage in Traralgon with a 7-5, 7-6(5) quarter-final win over 10th seed Hyeon Chung of Korea on Tuesday.
*Michael DiFabrizio is a University of Wollongong journalism student
