NEW YORK(SMI-WIRE,08.26-09.10.17)The USTA held its annual US Open player media availibility today, inviting credentialed US & International press members from broadcast and media outlets to participate in a press conference with World Ranked men's & women's tennis professional players that will compete in the 2017 US Open Tennis Championship starting on August 28, 2017 at Flushing Meadow Park Queens, New York.

Top players from Karolina Pliskova (Czech, world ranked# 1 ), Rafael Nadal(Spaniard, world ranked # 1), Simona Halep (Romanian, world ranked #2), Roger Fereder (Swiss world ranked #3), Garbine Muguruza( Spaniard-Venezuelan world ranked #3 ), Angelique Kerber (German, world ranked #6 ),  Alexander Zverev (German, world ranked #6), Madison Keys (American, world ranked # 16), Andy Murray (British, world ranked # 2), and Caroline Wozniacki( Danish, world ranked #5 ), participated in the player media availibility event with the press.

Alexander Zverev is a German professional tennis player. He is currently the youngest player in the ATP top 10. He is the son of former Russian tennis player Alexander Zverev Sr. and the younger brother of tennis player Mischa Zverev. In May 2017, Zverev entered the ATP top-10 for the first time after defeating Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2017 Italian OPen, thus winning his first Masters 1000 title. He won a second consecutive Masters 1000 title when he defeated Roger Federer at the 2017 Canada Masters.

Starlight Media Illustrated attended the player-media availibility event at the US Open and this is what Alexander Zverev said during the Q & A from the press :

Q. The buzz around here has been that this could be a real opportunity this year for you with Djokovic not in the Open, you beat Roger in Montreal. How are you feeling about your prospects?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I think for, you know, I played great on the hard courts so far, won two tournaments, Montreal and Washington back to back, which are two huge events, Montreal is Masters Series. I felt like I could compete and beat anyone during this period of time.

I feel quite welcoming into this Open. I feel different about this Grand Slam than I have felt before about the Grand Slams.

So, you know, it's obviously Roger and Rafa are the biggest favorites still. I think how the year has been going, they are still on top of everyone. But, you know, I'm just going to go match by match and hopefully I can get to those guys.

Q. What do you think you have learned about yourself from this experience and from gaining confidence from playing against this caliber of player?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I think it really showed me that I can beat those guys on a daily basis. I mean, I have won two Masters events this year, which is something new I think the tour hasn't seen for quite a long time apart from the Big 4. You know, everything is starting to come together and hopefully can continue.

Q. How would you describe yourself as a player?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, the usual stuff. I mean, I'm trying to be aggressive, trying to take the time away from my opponents, especially when I play someone like Roger, Rafa, where you have to be the aggressor on the court otherwise it's going to be very tough to beat those guys.

Q. At the beginning of the year when you were 24 in the world, if someone would have told you that you'd go on to win two Masters events and be the fourth seed at the US Open, what would your reaction have been?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, you probably expect me to be super surprised. Obviously I wouldn't have expected it, but I know, as well, what kind of work I have done in the offseason, what kind of work I have done throughout the season, and that me and my whole team are all working towards something like this, and something hopefully even bigger.

Obviously I'm super happy the way things are going, but I'm not going to be satisfied with just being the No. 4 seed, you know. Doesn't really matter at the end of the tournament what seed you were. It only matters how far you went and what matches you have won.

Hopefully I can do that like I have done in other big events this year, and we will see how it will go down in the end

Q. What do you think, for you, is the biggest key to having success at a Grand Slam tournament?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I mean, this year I haven't played bad at Grand Slams. I just had very tough draws. I think after my Rome victory I played Verdasco in the first round of the French, which is not an easy round for any seed. Then I lost to Rafa in five sets in Australia, which was a very tough match that could have gone both ways. He ended up being in the final. In Wimbledon I lost to Raonic in five sets, which I felt like I really could have won that match or maybe should have won.

You know, it's just here and there a few points decided both of those matches, and, you know, who knows what could have been if I won those matches. But, you know, getting over one of those matches and getting over beating one of the big, big names in tennis in a five-set match, that's, I think, that's where the success will come in.

Q. You seem to be very good at learning from mistakes. If you have a match that didn't go well, next time you play that person, you perform much better. How do you do that specifically? What do you do to make that happen?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I analyze a lot and watch a lot of videos afterwards. I watched the match actually, so I know exactly what I have done wrong, what I could have done better the next time.

That's what I'm trying to do. That's how I try to keep improving and try to, you know, playing an opponent for the second time, make it easier for me and tougher for him

Q. Have you watched the videos for a lot of years? What other stuff do you add to improving?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Have I watched videos of my opponents for a lot of years?

Q. Yeah, like the videos you study.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, more of the matches I have played against them, because I think every opponent has a different game style and every player has a different game style.

If Roger plays one way against Rafa, I can't really, you know, relate to that, because he plays a different game.

But still, I can look at a few things and I can look at stuff that they do well and maybe not do that well even though they do almost everything perfect.

But, no, just try to be as well prepared for every single match as you can.

Q. You seem to know that confidence is very important in this game. Do you think you have the mental confidence to beat a Roger or a Rafa here at the Open?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I mean, as I said, I have gone deep with them in previous Grand Slams. I have beaten them in three-set matches. I have beaten them in Masters events.

So, you know, I think it all depends on how the match goes. I think it all depends on the day, as well.

You know, I think we are all playing great tennis over the hard court swing, so it's more about that than just thinking, okay, I'm playing them in a five-set match is going to be so much different than a three-set match. Obviously it will be a much longer match, but it's not dissimilar. The tennis doesn't change that much.

Q. You alluded to the Big 4 earlier. With Novak out and you and some of the other up-and-comers doing so well, how would you describe the opportunity for guys outside of the Big 4 to win here?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: You guys keep saying that Novak is out. I think the defending champion is out, as well. I think that's something massive, as well. I think Stan at Grand Slams has shown us over the last few years that he's dangerous and he's won three Grand Slams in the last three years.

So you can't forget about him. I think he's a big part of, you know, the big 5, that's how I call them, you know, because Andy and Stan have both won three slams. Of course, Andy has won much more outside of Grand Slams. But Stan is a big threat to everyone, as well.

But, yeah, obviously the seedings move a little bit. Normally I would have been No. 6 seeded if both those guys play. I'm No. 4 seed, so that helps a little bit.

At the end of the day, I think at Grand Slams it's going to be a lot of tough matches before you get to see those guys. Every opponent will try to play his best tennis because that's the tournaments we play for.

As I said, there is going to be a lot of other tough opponents, and we will see who will come, who will have a breakthrough at the US Open.