Welcome to Locker Room Code, where ATP Tour players share the stories behind life on Tour. From unwritten rules and rookie mistakes to friendships and unforgettable moments, this series goes beyond the baseline. This week, Zizou Bergs opens up about finding his balance, building friendships and learning to separate life off the court from the battles on it. Read all instalments of Locker Room Code here.
When it comes to living life on the ATP Tour, Zizou Bergs seems to have struck the right balance.
The Belgian may have broken through to the top of the game relatively late in his career, making his Top-100 debut in 2024 at the age of 25. Yet since then, Bergs has established himself as one of the most affable personalities in the locker room. For him, it all comes down to finding that right balance.
“You need to balance because ultimately you have a life,” Bergs told ATPTour.com in August. “You cannot always be on… In the tournaments, it's sometimes hard to disconnect because you're in your work environment all the time. So you need to balance it.
“Being balanced is getting away from tennis and how you do that is always personal, but you need to find your own balance. And I think that's a learn-filled journey for a lot of players coming onto the Tour: How do you find a certain balance?”
Bergs has continued to make strides on court, too. After reaching two ATP Tour finals in 2025 but falling short on both occasions, the Belgian finally broke through in Eastbourne in June 2026 and tasted tour-level title success for the first time.
But regardless of results, finding his place in the locker room has been an important part of his journey. For a player who arrived on the scene later than many of his peers, earning the respect of those around him has taken time.
“It's just about finding your place,” Bergs said, who reached a career-high No. 33 in the PIF ATP Rankings this year, said. "You're eventually going to be surrounded by stars, and when you enter, you're not a star or anything. It’s about getting used to that. You can gradually get the respect of the guys around you.”
For Bergs, one of the most easy-going and outgoing players on Tour, building friendships has come naturally. Whether teaming up with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner on the doubles court in Monte-Carlo this year or sharing laughs with some of the sport’s biggest names away from competition, the Belgian has clearly found his place among his peers.
But as Bergs has previously admitted, turning those friendships into on-court rivalries has not always been easy. That may be changing, however.
On Monday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, he produced a stunning display to upset second seed Carlos Alcaraz and reach the fourth round, claiming the biggest win of his career. Against the World No. 3 and seven-time major champion, Bergs showed he can put any admiration aside when it matters most.
Read & watch more about Bergs:
How De Witt's curiosity is helping Bergs take the next step
Highlights: Bergs stuns Alcaraz in Shanghai
Bergs completes striking turnaround, wins first ATP Tour title in Eastbourne
Bergs is clearly growing more comfortable in those situations, and while the battles on court are part of life on Tour, it is the friendships off it that have helped make the journey so enjoyable.
Naturally, the Belgian contingent has become an important part of his circle. Davis Cup teammates Alexander Blockx and Raphael Collignon are among the familiar faces on Tour, with both players following a path that Bergs began paving before them.
“Right now, I would say the Belgians are definitely my good friends on Tour,” Bergs said. “I also hang out quite a lot with Argentinians and some French guys, so it's a big mix. I feel like I did not really have many other Belgians around me when I first arrived on Tour, but there were many nice guys anyway, so it wasn’t a hard experience.”
Collignon broke into the Top 100 in 2025, and having another Belgian around at tournaments has made the travelling more enjoyable for Bergs. Spending so much time together inevitably creates plenty of memories and, occasionally, a few questionable decisions. One particular night involving a borrowed sweater stands out.
“One time I went out with Raphael Collignon and he asked me, ‘Hey, do you have a sweater for me?’,” Bergs recalled. “He borrowed my sweater and then he drank a little bit too much… Let’s just say he didn’t return it properly.
“That's maybe a funny one with Raph. But you travel so much with each other, you do so much stupid sh** together. These are all memorable moments for me.”
It is exactly that side of Tour life that Bergs values. With players spending so much time travelling, practising and competing alongside one another, the friendships and the funny moments along the way can become just as memorable as the results.
For Bergs, finding his place in the locker room has been about embracing all of it: building relationships, learning from those around him and discovering how to switch from friendly face to fierce competitor.
After breaking into the Top 100 at 25, claiming his first ATP Tour title in Eastbourne and earning a career-best Lexus ATP Head2Head victory against Alcaraz in Shanghai, the Belgian continues to make his mark. As he has learned, finding the right balance is not just important away from the court, but it can be just as valuable when it is time to step across the net from a friend.
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