tennis
Alexander Zverev cancels for the US Open in New York
After his injury in Paris, the US Open comes too early for Alexander Zverev. photo
© Frank Molter/dpa
In the end it wasn’t enough for Alexander Zverev. Although Germany’s best tennis player has recently made progress in rehab, he cancels for the US Open.
Alexander Zverev has lost the race against time. Although the tennis Olympic champion has recently made great strides in rehab after his serious foot injury, Zverev canceled his participation in the US Open because he doesn’t feel completely fit yet.
This was announced by the organizers of the last Grand Slam tournament of the season. The US Open starts next Monday. Zverev remains another season without a title in one of the four major tournaments. The 25-year-old is now planning his comeback in the intermediate round of the Davis Cup from September 13th to 18th in Hamburg.
Zverev twisted his ankle in early June in the semifinals of the French Open against eventual winner Rafael Nadal from Spain and tore all three lateral ligaments in his right ankle.
US Open a week or two early
The German number one was then operated on and completed his rehabilitation with physiotherapist Klaus Eder in Donaustauf. Although Zverev’s healing process went according to plan, the US Open is a little too early for him.
“If it were a normal best of three tournament, then I could say that maybe I would be ready. But best of five as the first tournament back is difficult,” Zverev had said recently. But Zverev is ready for the Davis Cup in his home country. The German team meets France (September 14), Belgium (September 16) and Australia (September 18) at the Stadion am Rothenbaum.
Zverev had given everything to the end to be able to start in New York. The German number one worked hard and recently posted pictures on social media that showed him on the training ground. But ultimately the US Open came a week or two early for Zverev, which is why he decided not to travel to New York, where he lost in 2020 in a dramatic five-set final to Austrian Dominic Thiem.
Davis Cup in Hamburg “a highlight”
Zverev started the season with the big goal of finally celebrating a Grand Slam title. After the disappointing round of 16 in Melbourne at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, Zverev was in top form at the French Open and offered Nadal a thrilling fight in a high-class semifinal. Towards the end of the second set, however, Zverev twisted his ankle badly and had to leave his wheelchair.
After he had been operated on, Zverev then completed his rehabilitation in Donaustauf. “My ligaments are now as good as healed. Now it’s important to stabilize everything around it as much as possible. The muscle breakdown is clearly noticeable,” Zverev recently said in an interview with “Tennis Magazin”.
Zverev now wants to continue working on his comeback in Monte Carlo so that he can be ready in time for the Davis Cup in Hamburg. “It will be a highlight for me this year,” Zverev said last week.