Tennis - Next drama: Zverev in despair at Wimbledon
In all his Wimbledon frustration and with all the pain in his thick left knee, Alexander Zverev sets his next goal. Although he first has to heal a "bone edema and a tear in the capsule," he plans to win the gold medal around his neck in Paris on August 4. After the next chapter of a Grand Slam drama in his tennis career, the defeated Tokyo Olympics champion can laugh a little about Wimbledon.
"I want to win Paris, that's a given," said the 27-year-old in his last words before leaving the "Media Theatre" at Wimbledon. Half standing, he smirked and added: "And carry the flag."
Race against time
Between his exit at the popular grass Grand Slam tournament in Southwest London and the start of the Olympic competition at Roland Garros Stadium on July 27, there are only 19 days. "Three weeks is more than enough time," predicted Zverev. "Except I'm not that smart and I'll lift 300 kg of squads and ruin my knee." But how realistic is top form after a break?
After his quarterfinal loss to American Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon, Zverev spoke of significant problems that his knee had caused him. He could barely move, and everything that was "two meters" away was difficult. The decisive factor for him was that he could no longer serve with his left leg after the middle of the third set. From that moment on, the match was a different story.
The first two sets had seen the number four in the world successfully navigate through. But then, with a 6:4, 7:6 (7:4), 4:6, 6:7 (3:7), 3:6, he lost a match that he had believed was secure. Once again, Zverev was not there when the success stories were written in Wimbledon. The opportunity was significant.
Doubts about Hamburg appearance
At the Olympics in Tokyo three years ago, Zverev wrote his fairy tale and became the first German Olympic champion in the men's singles. Does he have a chance in Paris?
"Because the break isn't that long and he played well, it's not impossible," said Davis Cup team captain Michael Kohlmann to the German Press Agency on Tuesday. "If he can bite on his nails, then it's definitely Sascha. But he has to listen to his body and look long-term."
Whether Zverev will gather match practice in Hamburg beforehand is uncertain. His injury could "go away within a week or normally within two to three weeks," he said. With "unbelievable amounts of painkillers" like against Fritz, he did not want to play long-term. "It's not something that heals by itself. It just needs time. Yesterday, I couldn't even walk."
Drama continues
The keywords Hamburg and bone edema remind us of 2022. After his band injury in the foot from the French Open semifinals, Zverev wanted to make his comeback in the Davis Cup. It failed because he had overexerted himself and a bone edema had stopped him.
Once again, Zverev has been involved in sporting dramas in recent years. Once again, his Grand Slam title quest ended in vain. In Paris two years ago, he left the crowd on crutches after an initially brilliant performance against Rafael Nadal. In 2023, he reported in Paris from a thigh tear, as he had been no match for Casper Ruud in the semifinals.
On the huge tennis court, the playful leaderships are piling up at the Grand Slams. The US Open final in 2020 against Dominic Thiem, which I won the first two sets, will never be forgotten. At the beginning of this season in Melbourne, he looked like the winner in the semifinals against Daniil Medvedev, and then he told us that he had had a fever the night before. A set separated him from the triumph against Carlos Alcaraz in Paris a month ago.
"Sometimes you really start to believe that maybe it wasn't meant for me," said Zverev: "In 2022, I will play the best clay-court tennis that I have ever played, I really feel that I can keep up with Nadal, that I can win the tournament, but I get injured," he looked back: "Here I feel that I am playing my best grass-court tennis that I have ever played. I get injured. Maybe someday I will have a little more luck."
Monday: rest dayTuesday: practice dayWednesday: practice dayThursday: practice dayFriday: quarterfinalsSaturday: semifinalsSunday: finals
Alexander Zverev aims to shift his focus from Wimbledon's disappointment to winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics on August 4, despite having to recover from a bone edema and capsule tear in his knee. His next Grand Slam tournament challenge lies ahead, with just 19 days between his Wimbledon exit and the Olympic competition at Roland Garros Stadium. Zverev expresses his desire to win Paris and carry the flag, acknowledging his frustrating Wimbledon experience.
Despite the tight timeframe, Zverev believes he can recuperate and perform at his best, but he jokingly doubts his ability to avoid injuring himself further with excessive training. After his defeat at Wimbledon against Taylor Fritz, Zverev admits to significant pain and the inability to serve effectively due to his knee injury.
Doubts surround Zverev's participation in the Hamburg competition before the Paris Olympics, with his injury recovery progressing at different rates – potentially within a week or the usual two to three weeks. Zverev insists on prioritizing his health over exacerbating the injury with heavy usage of painkillers.
Recalling his past experiences, Zverev has been plagued by sporting dramas and Grand Slam title quests that consistently end in disappointment. In 2022, he was forced to withdraw from the Davis Cup after overexerting himself with bone edema, and in recent years, multiple injuries have hindered his ability to claim a major title.
Navigating through various setbacks and near misses, Zverev still maintains a positive outlook, hoping for better luck in the future. "Maybe someday I will have a little more luck," he says, reflecting on his previous experiences in Wimbledon and the French Open. Transitioning from Monday to Sunday, Zverev looks forward to each day of competition in his pursuit of a Grand Slam victory.
