Becker: 'Djokovic is the absolute favorite in Melbourne, and Federer...'
The six-time major winner Boris Becker commented on the players who have the highest chances to win the upcoming Australian Open. In an interview to Eurosport, Becker said: 'For me, Novak Djokovic is the absolute favorite in Melbourne. He won the tournament six times. But Federer is not far away. He is the defending champion and he won all the Hopman Cup matches. Roger came off the off-season very well. These are the two best favorites for me. Then the rest comes - including Sascha Zverev.'
Becker sustains Zverev cannot win in Melbourne this year because he never reached a Grand Slam semifinal or final. Becker also said that he struggles against some of the biggest legends: 'Roger Federer plays with a lot of variety. He hits a slice, goes to the net. Zverev finds difficult in handling it because Roger always finds the right solutions. They all have good shots from the baseline, and the rally requires more time. Not to Federer. But I think that not only Zverev is going through a tough time, but also the other younger guys.'
Asked if the best of five sets format may be a concern physically for Zverev, Becker added: 'This should not make a difference. He played three consecutive matches in Paris and he won all them, so he is fit. It's just about focusing. Keeping the focus for more than two weeks is more difficult for a younger player than an older guy. It's natural. Younger players struggle more to get focused than the older ones.'
At the same time, Becker feels confident for Zverev looking at the long term future: 'He would have not won the ATP Finals if he did not have these qualities. But that was a one-week tournament at the best of three sets. Focusing on these tournaments is easier rather than keeping the level for over two weeks at best of five. For me, it's just a matter of time. Zverev is also one year ahead than other players of his generation because he is already in the top 5.'
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from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2Rnod73
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