Thursday, 11 August 2022. 06:12
MUNICH, Germany – World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who returned to training five days ago after his serious injury in the semi-finals at Roland Garros, expressed pessimism on Thursday about a possible participation in the International of the United States (August 29-September 11).
“Obviously, I will still try to be present at the United States Open, even if it will be very, very short”, explained Alexander Zverev Thursday during a press briefing organized in Hamburg, while the last Grand Slam of the season kicks off in just over two weeks in New York.
At the latest, he hopes to make his return to the courts for the Davis Cup group stage in his hometown of Hamburg from September 13 to 18, against France (14), Belgium (16 ) and Australia (the 18th).
In the Roland-Garros semi-finals on June 3, the 25-year-old German was forced to retire before the start of the second set tiebreaker against Rafael Nadal, as the two players fought an epic battle of more than three hours of gameplay.
On a support, Zverev’s right ankle completely turned, the player left the Philippe-Chatrier court in a wheelchair and returned a few minutes later on crutches and in tears to formalize his abandonment (7-6 (8), 6-6).
Medical examinations carried out a few days later revealed the tearing of the three external ligaments of the right ankle, an injury which required a passage on the operating table and a period of rehabilitation.
Two months after his operation, Zverev was able to play tennis again on Sunday, without pain by his own admission, but without putting too much pressure on the recovering foot.
Olympic champion in Tokyo last summer and winner of the end-of-season Masters in London in November 2021 (the second after 2018), Zverev is still chasing a first Grand Slam title, after a lost 2020 United States Open final. in Flushing Meadows against the Austrian Dominic Thiem.
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