Tennis professional Alexander Zverev prefers not to take off his shirt with the glowing inscription "GERMANY" in Munich.

It reminds him of the gold triumph at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

After the best season of his career with a total of six titles, his own expectations had risen and Zverev declared his first Grand Slam victory and number 1 as goals.

"Bad luck" with injuries and "too much pressure" crossed the plans.

The turning point is to come in Munich.

At the clay court tournament on the Iphitos facility, the 25-year-old is aiming for his third title after 2017 and 2018.

"I'm here with the feeling that a lot can change and I'll have the best year of my life," said Zverev.

The thigh injury that hampered him in the semi-finals of Monte Carlo seems to have been overcome.

“Now this is not a dangerous injury.

I think I'll be able to play completely freely here."

In training at the start of the week, the German struggled with his performance under the eyes of girlfriend Sophia Thomalla and new coach Sergi Bruguera.

The tarpaulin on the fence felt the dissatisfaction several times.

Only when his poodle Lövik trotted onto the pitch after training did Zverev's mood improve.

For Zverev, the traditional event this year is more than his "favourite tournament" in front of a home crowd.

In the round of 16 on Wednesday, the German meets the Danish youngster Holger Rune.

The tournament at Aumeisterweg is intended to mark the turning point in a season without a title so far.

A season that had started “very disappointing” above all.

“I started this year with so many chances to be number one.

That was always in my head.

I felt under extreme pressure and not free," reported the third in the world rankings.

Especially at the Australian Open, where the final stop was in the round of 16, he felt "uncomfortable" - both on the training ground and in the match.

The mental block affected his game.

"I was under so much pressure that I sometimes didn't have fun," said Zverev.

In the meantime he has learned to deal better with the feeling of pressure.

"If you're not free and you don't show the tennis of a number 1, you won't anyway.

You have to start enjoying tennis and having fun again," he explained.

About three months after the disappointment in Melbourne, "the fun feeling is slowly coming back".

Outburst of anger as a mistake

The gap in the world rankings to the Serbian top star Novak Djokovic is around 900 points.

There are about 800 on the second Daniil Medvedev.

At least the Russian, who with his unorthodox style of play is anything but a clay court digger, could certainly overtake Zverev in the next few weeks.

A tournament victory at the smaller event in Munich, where there are 250 points for the winner, would be a start.

Former Wimbledon champion Michael Stich believes that Zverev is capable of the really big coup this year.

"With all his successes, that must be his claim and he also has the chance to do so," said Stich.

But everything just has to fit.

"He's had that goal for a few years now and the next generation with top players will follow," warned the 53-year-old.

Zverev knows now is the time when he has to deliver.

“I just turned 25 years old.

I'm going in the direction where the highlight of my career should be," said the Olympic champion.

The German fans should push him to do his best.

And that despite the fact that the relationship between the man from Hamburg and his compatriots is ambivalent.

Since his freak in Acapulco, where Zverev had hit the referee's chair with his bat, the image has been cracked - again.

In retrospect, Zverev describes the outburst of anger as the biggest mistake of his life.

Overall, however, he has felt more support since the Olympics.

"Of course I'm happy about that.

Germany is my homeland," said Zverev, touching the "GERMANY" lettering with his finger.