Tennis Olympic champion Alexander Zverev addressed the fans with a statement one day after his official decision not to start at the upcoming US Open.
“I just wanted to tell you that my healing process is progressing 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 the 25-year-old in an Instagram video, “but I don’t want to take the risk now.”
The organizers of the last Grand Slam tournament of the year announced on Monday that Zverev would not be able to participate. The 2020 finalist 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.
The German number one had to be operated on. Zverev is now planning his comeback in the intermediate round of the Davis Cup from September 13th to 18th in Hamburg.
However, the fitness is not good enough for the US Open, which starts on August 29th. “Unfortunately, I don’t have another one or two weeks to be one hundred percent ready,” Zverev quarreled. He will “of course miss the tournament” and watch the games “from far away”.