German Zverev splits with coach Ferrer ahead of new season

Reuters Videos
Updated

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF ALEXANDER ZVEREV TRAINING, STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF ZVEREV WITH DAVID FERRER AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF FERRER PLAYING TENNIS

SHOWS:

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - NOVEMBER 8, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. GERMANY'S ALEXANDER ZVEREV PREPARING FOR PRACTICE AT THE ATP FINALS

2. VARIOUS OF ZVEREV SERVING

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 30, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

3. VARIOUS OF ZVEREV TRAINING AT WIMBLEDON

VALENCIA, SPAIN (FILE - APRIL 6, 2018) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

4. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF ZVEREV AND SPANIARD DAVID FERRER POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AHEAD OF THEIR DAVIS CUP QUARTER-FINAL TIE

5. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF ZVEREV AND FERRER SHAKING HANDS AT THE NET AFTER ZVEREV WON THE MATCH

VALENCIA, SPAIN (FILE - APRIL 8, 2018) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

6. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF FERRER PLAYING A BACKHAND DURING HIS DAVIS CUP QUARTER-FINAL TIE AGAINST GERMANY'S PHILIPP KOHLSCHREIBER

MADRID, SPAIN (FILE - MAY 5, 2019) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

7. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF FERRER PLAYING A FOREHAND DURING HIS MATCH AGAINST ROBERTO BAUTISTA AGUT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE MADRID OPEN

8. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF FERRER CELEBRATING HIS WIN OVER ROBERTO BAUTISTA AGUT

STORY: German Alexander Zverev will head into the 2021 season looking for a new coach after splitting with Spaniard David Ferrer, the world number seven confirmed on social media.

Zverev added former world number three Ferrer to his coaching team around the middle of 2020 and reached his maiden Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open, where he went down to Dominic Thiem after winning the first two sets.

The German picked up two ATP titles in Cologne and also made the final of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris in an encouraging close to the season.

"I would like to thank David for the months we have shared, the times on and off the court, wishing him only the best in the future," Zverev wrote on his Instagram account.

Zverev will start his 2021 season at the team-based ATP Cup which will be played at Melbourne Park a week before the Australian Open is held at the same venue from Feb. 8.

"I spoke to Alexander and told him that I preferred not to continue working with him in 2021," Ferrer told tennis website Punto de Break.

"There wasn't a particular reason or anything; I just thought the time wasn't right. Everything is fine between us ... I'm not the right person to help Alexander at the moment."

(Production: Tim Hart)