Alexander Zverev ruled out for 'weeks or months' after new injury setback ahead of comeback at Davis Cup
Alexander Zverev has been hit by an unexpected setback on his comeback trail. The German player announced that he will miss the Davis Cup after suffering a 'bone injury' shortly before his scheduled comeback to tennis this week.
Zverev has been on the sidelines after suffering a severe ankle ligament injury in his semifinal clash against Rafael Nadal at the French Open. He had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair and returned moments later only to retire from the match just ahead of a second-set tiebreak.
The German suffered three tears and had to undergo surgery. He has been on the road to recovery over the last couple of months with rehabilitation and training on the practice court.
However, the new injury, causing him 'bone edema', is set to rule him out for "weeks or months, not days," according to tennis journalist Jannik Schneider. Zverev made the announcement during a pre-tournament press conference in Hamburg, the venue for Germany's Davis Cup ties against France, Australia, and Belgium.
"It causes me a lot of pain since yesterday," Alexander Zverev said on his new injury.
The only good news for Zverev in this situation is that the bone injury has nothing to do with his ankle ligament injury, which he seems to be recovering well from.
While he will miss competing at the Davis Cup, Zverev will stay with the team in Hamburg this week and support them from the sidelines. The German player also expressed his disappointment at being forced to miss an opportunity to play for his country.
"To be part of the Davis Cup in my hometown Hamburg was my big goal, which motivated me again and again during the last weeks," Zverev said, according to Eurosport.
"The fact that this dream has now been shattered makes me incredibly sad. I tried everything to be here, but these new problems force me to withdraw. will still stay in Hamburg and support the team from the bench."
Zverev is on the entry list for the ATP 250 event in Seoul and the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo, but his recent injury woes might rule him out of action once again.
Alexander Zverev practices with 98-year-old man who is the oldest active tennis player
Alexander Zverev had a special moment this past weekend as he took to the tennis court with 98-year-old Leonid Stanislavskyi, who is the oldest active tennis player in the world. Stanislavskyi hails from Ukraine and has had a tough time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.
Stanislavskyi remained in his home in Ukraine weeks after the war began in his home country, but was eventually forced to flee and seek shelter elsewhere.
Stanislavskyi has been living in Lithuania since then and recently met Alexander Zverev and practiced with the German star.
Alexander Zverev stated that it was a special moment to be able to play with Stanislavskyi and was glad to "see him have fun."
"It was so special to play with Leonid," Zverev said in an interview with the Davis Cup. "It shows that you can enjoy tennis at any age, and it was very enjoyable. After everything he has been through, I am happy that he came here, and it was lovely to see him have fun. That’s what our sport can do."
Also Checkout:- Davis Cup 2022 Results