Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev has addressed fans with a statement a day after officially withdrawing from the upcoming US Open.
“I just wanted to tell you that my healing process is going extremely well. I’m very happy where I am right now. But unfortunately I won’t be coming to New York this year. It was a very hard decision,” said 25-year-old in an Instagram video, “but I don’t want to take the risk now.”
On Monday, the organisers of the last Grand Slam tournament of the year had already announced that Zverev would not be able to take part. The 2020 finalist had twisted his ankle in the French Open semi-final against eventual winner Rafael Nadal of Spain in early June and tore all three lateral ligaments in his right ankle. The German number one had to undergo surgery. Zverev is now planning his comeback at the intermediate round of the Davis Cup from 13 to 18 September in Hamburg.
However, he is not yet fit enough for the US Open, which starts on 29 August. “Unfortunately, I don’t have another week or two to be one hundred per cent ready,” Zverev lamented. He will “of course miss” the tournament and watch the matches “from far away”.
