After a break of several months due to injury, Alexander Zverev will make his comeback at the Diriyah Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia (December 8th to 10th). But in the run-up to harsh criticism of Germany’s number one.
It was no longer enough for Alexander Zverev to return to the ATP tour in 2022.
At the French Open, the best German tennis player of the present suffered a serious ligament injury. During the rehabilitation training, the 25-year-old also suffered from bone edema in his foot.
Zverev reported “extreme pain” and had to cancel his originally planned participation in the Davis Cup.
Alexander Zverev “happy” about returning to the tennis court
Nevertheless, the native of Hamburg will be back on a tennis court this calendar year. The Diriyah Cup is on his agenda from December 8th to 10th, as announced last week.
“I’m glad that I can finally return to the court after my injury. It’s even better that I can make my comeback before the start of the 2023 season,” Zverev was quoted as saying in a statement from the organizers.
The Diriyah Cup is “a very good opportunity for this,” said Zverev. “I’m looking forward to being in Saudi Arabia for the first time.”
Allegations of “sports washing”
However, the response to Zverev’s start at the show tournament in a suburb of the capital Riyadh is not undividedly euphoric.
The Swiss journalist and tennis expert Simon Häring instead criticizes Zverev in a comment for the “Aargauer Zeitung”.
The accusation: With his participation in the Diriyah Cup and his (so far) completely uncritical treatment of Saudi Arabia’s regime, the tennis Olympic champion contributes to “sportswashing” – i.e. the country’s efforts to improve its reputation by hosting sporting events and to distract from human rights violations, for example.
Behind the tournament in the Gulf state is the state oil giant Saudi Aramco, which also sponsors the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.
Alexander Zverev “a puppet of the oil sheiks”?
With his behavior, Zverev exposed himself to the suspicion of “allowing himself to be used as a puppet by the oil sheikhs,” criticized Häring.
The tennis star acts “according to the motto: never bite the hand that feeds you,” said the journalist, who pointed out the well-endowed entry bonuses and the millions in payment that the winner of the event waving.
Zverev apparently missed the opportunity to react to the serious allegations. According to Häring, he and his brother and manager Mischa left unanswered questions about the controversial start in Saudi Arabia.