Days after Alexander Zverev said he expected more attention and commitment from his coach, Ivan Lendl parted ways with the 22-year-old who is currently playing in the Hamburg Open.
It was Lendl, who lead the German world No 5 to his biggest career title at the ATP World Tour Finals last year, who resigned, according to information quoted by Tennis.com.
Earlier on Thursday, Zverev rallied to beat Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-4, 7-6(5) and reach the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 tournament. The second seed will next play Filip Krajinovic.
Not surprising.. Ivan lendl ends coaching Zverev "I have a lot of belief in Sascha who is still very young. I think that one day he may become a great player but currently he has some off court issues that make it difficult to workin a way that is consistent with my philosophy."
— Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) July 25, 2019
Alexander Zverev questioned Ivan lendl's work ethic. I've been friends with Ivan for 30+ yrs, I'd question his jokes but never his work ethic. “When it comes to work ethic I am quite comfortable that my record speaks for itself” said Lendl who worked with Andy Murray a long time
— Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) July 25, 2019
Lendl Resigns as Zverev Coach
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) July 25, 2019
....Former world # 1 Ivan Lendl, who coached Alexander Zverev to his only major title at the ATP Tour Finals last November, announced today that he will step away from working with Zverev effective immediately.
Press conference #HamburgOpen with @TheBorisBecker. On Zverev and Lendl: "They won the Tour finals and then something broke between them. I'm not going into details, but something happened and it had something to do with Apey." pic.twitter.com/UfbofaFn87
— Petra Philippsen (@PPhilippsen) July 25, 2019
Earlier in the week, Zverev had told German media that he wasn’t getting enough attention from his coach. “Sometimes we go to the tennis court, the training is two hours long, and for half-an-hour he stands with his back to me talking about the way he played golf the morning before,” the youngster was quoted as saying by Tennis.com.
Lendl, who guided Andy Murray to world No 1, has not accompanied the German to all tournaments. He skipped the entirety of the clay season and is not in Hamburg either. The 22-year-old is with his Alexander Sr, who has been training him throughout his career.
Among other results in Hamburg, Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta beat seventh seed Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 7-6(4) while third seed Fabio Fognini beat German youngster Rudolf Molleker 7-5, 6-4.