World No.4 Alexander Zverev has a secret goal for 2018 and it's not hard to guess what it is -- grand slam glory.
Zverev has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the ranks over the past two years, establishing himself at the head of the pack of 'generation next'.
Five tournament wins in 2017 saw Zverev break into the world's top 10 for the first time but grand slam success eluded him.
The 20-year-old lost a tough five-setter to Rafael Nadal in the third round of the Australian Open.
And a five-set loss to Milos Raonic in the fourth round at Wimbledon ended his hopes there.
A first-round exit at the French Open and a shock second-round loss to Borna Coric at the US Open were the disappointments that stung the most.
The 198cm German is intent to right those wrongs in 2018 but he was reluctant to spell out his exact goals when pushed on the matter.
"I had a goal for last year, and (didn't tell) the media about it until I achieved my goal," Zverev said.
"Last year was making London -- finishing inside the top eight was my goal.
"Some people thought I was crazy when I told them that at the beginning of the year.
"I was No.24 in the world. My team weren't saying it was impossible but they were kind of laughing about it a little bit.
"This year I have a goal as well, and I'm going to keep it to myself for now.
"It's not a ranking related one."
Zverev will partner former world No.1 Angelique Kerber at the Hopman Cup at Perth Arena.
The duo start their campaign on Monday night against Belgium's pairing of David Goffin and Elise Mertens.
Zverev arrived in Perth on December 20 in a bid to get a head start on preparations for the Australian Open, and he hopes the move will pay dividends.
When asked how he celebrated Christmas, Zverev said he practised.
"This (grand slam success) is what we all work for," he said.
"This is what we are all here for ... to be able to compete in the biggest tournaments in the world.
"I've won two Masters series, so I've won a few big tournaments.
"But obviously the grand slams are still another step forward."
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