Zverev has a string of corporates keen to sign him and has been described as the hottest property in tennis

Alexander Zverev strips down to his boxers, puts on a Paul Smith shirt and suit, and then stands in a makeshift studio in the bowels of Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros, hitting balls thrown at him by our photographer. He is expressive, vivacious, utterly at ease in front of a group of guys, including me, his agent, and the ATP press officer, all slightly envious of his ripped body and blond locks.

“Wow, I’m enjoying this,” he says, thwacking another ball, then another. “I think I’d better warm up!” I notice that he volunteers to pick the balls up after hitting them, ferreting behind chairs, diving into corners and, in general, acting rather differently to what one might expect from a millionaire prodigy. “What