"A golden thing around the neck": ZVEREV is choosing the Olympic Champion - Olympic

Mightily proud Alexander Zverev repeatedly showed his gold medal. The first German Olympic champion in the men's singles has immortalized the 24-year-old Hamburger in the tennis history. "There are a few people who are happier than me. I have such a golden thing around the neck, and that's not one of the 50 chains I usually wear," Zverev said on Sunday after his 6: 3, 6: 1 in the final against the Russian Karen Khachanov. After the coup of Tokyo Zverev was looking for the right words to describe his emotional world.

"The thing is heavy, but very pleasant," he said about the medal as the most valuable trophy of his collection: "And I do not take that until I'm at home sometime." With a determined and impressive performance, the best German tennis player had previously made the little Olympia miracle. Unlike the sensational semi-final success on the world ranking Novak Djokovic Zverev did not get tears. He beamed and beamed after his gold triumph, who himself had never made Boris Becker.

With nothing comparable

33 years after the Olympic victory of Steffi Graf, there were single gold for the German Tennis Federation. "There is nothing better, I think," Zverev said, do not want to worry about the US Open or other Grand Slam tournaments at that moment of happiness.

"I can not compare it with anything. I won the ATP finals," said World Ranking Fifth. "But the gold medal and these Olympic games, this value is incredible. That's so much bigger than anything else in sports. The feelings I have, and the feelings I probably will have in a few days are not comparable Something else. "

Olympia, tennis tournament

ZVEREV gets gold and writes German tennis history

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On the day between his insanity victory over Djokovic and the final, ZVEREV had aware of his cell phone to be distracted by nothing and anyone distract. Not that now all for the favorites were on gold, not calling. And then Zverev grabbed the chance at the final day of the Olympic Tennis Tournament, which was close to his surprise against Serbian world ranking first to grab. Zverev caught a start as hoped.

This medal belongs to Germany.

Alexander Zverev

He suggested early and had neither the calls of Olympic protests, which were ranging from the outside of the arena at the beginning from the outside into the arena. Hite Chatschanow or bring out of rest. When he turned his matchball after 1:19 hours, Zverev sank overwhelmed on his knees and hiding his face in his hands. The German football master from Munich congratulated with a picture of Zverev in the Bavaria jersey. "This medal is part of Germany, it was the best week of my life," he said, "There were a few moments in my life, where I felt better."

He never could imagine, once to wear the gold medal around his neck. "I did not play a single second for myself," he emphasized again and again and got into raptures: "I played for all people here in the village. For all, my family, my parents, my daughter, all who have come to home "

Image gain thanks to Tokyo?

His occurrence in Japan is likely to benefit his image in the home. Unapproachable, sometimes a little arrogant - so the greatest sporty tennis hope has come since Becker's times in the past at some over. In the meantime, he aims to become more popular in Germany.

For a long time, the 1.98-meter right-handed guardian is said to possess the potential for the great victories in tennis. His critics would have held others for better, he acknowledged. But now he had the Olympic victory to his 15 titles.

In the US Open End game last year, ZVEREV had not been able to refute the doubters yet. Although he was clearly clear at the beginning and at the end only two points was removed from the Grand Slam dream, he had not kept the pressure against the Austrian Dominic Thiem.

In this match, only two winning sentences, he left his opponent no longer a chance. ZVEREV dominated with his premium, his courage to offensive and his mind from the baseline.

ZVEREV does not know where he is celebrating

21 years ago, Tommy Haas was the last German in Men's Single Silver. Zverev's medal was first the fourth Germans in men's singles. Becker was on the side of Michael Stich 1992 Olympic Gold in Double succeeded. Angelique Kerber had traveled with the silver medal from Rio de Janeiro five years ago.

For Brazil Zverev had canceled for health reasons. Now he enjoyed the Olympia atmosphere, crowned himself with gold - and only knew when the question of how he is celebrating now, no answer. "I hope the German house has more ideas than me. Because I'm relatively unaware at the moment," Zverev said. On Monday evening, he is actually landing as the Olympic champion in the home. ## The German medal winners of Tokyo