"It was disappointing for me that she didn't come, but that's how her job is" - Alexander Zverev on girlfriend Sophia Thomalla not being by his side during injury recovery
Alexander Zverev will have to miss the upcoming Wimbledon Championships because of the ankle injury he sustained at the French Open, but that isn't the only regret the German has about the ordeal. The World No. 2 is also disappointed at the fact that his girlfriend and German actress Sophia Thomalla could not be there by his side during the recovery process.
Facing off against eventual winner Rafael Nadal in the semifinals in Paris, Zverev took a horrible tumble in the second set and was forced to retire from the match. The injury was so bad that the 25-year-old had to use crutches to walk off the court at the end.
Zverev later confirmed he had to have surgery to fix three torn ligaments in his right ankle. While the exact return date is not yet known, the rehab is expected to last at least a couple of months.
#BREAKING Rafael Nadal into French Open final after Alexander Zverev leaves semi-final in 2nd set with shock injury https://t.co/0aaauLT9sk
Speaking in a recent interview with German Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag, the World No. 2 revealed that his girlfriend could not be with him during this troubling time because she was busy filming in Greece at the time. The German found that disappointing, but was glad that his parents were by his side to take care of him instead.
"In this phase, you want to be around the people you love the most. So it was disappointing for me that Sophia didn't come. But that's [how her] job is. My father and mother were there though," Alexander Zverev said.
An emotional Zverev revealed that the first few weeks of recovery were the most difficult as he needed help with everything, and he expressed gratitude to his parents for being there for him.
"I couldn't do anything alone: take a shower, go to the toilet. They took care of me like a little baby. It was so important to me," Alexander Zverev said. "These two people have helped me the most."
"I would have to play one or two tournaments beforehand, but I haven't written off New York" - Alexander Zverev on where he plans to make his comeback
During the interview, Alexander Zverev also shed light on when he plans to return to action. The German revealed that the US Open was his main ambition, but added that he would prefer to play a few tournaments before that so he can be fully fit for the stint at Flushing Meadows.
"I won't be someone who plays after being ready for it for one second. If I play the US Open then to win them and not for one or two rounds," Alexander Zverev said. "I will only return if I have this form. I don't know whether it will be the US Open because I would have to play one or two tournaments beforehand. But I haven't written off New York."
An update from Alexander Zverev on his horrendous injury today.
https://t.co/1w9Z7Bxk11
The World No. 2 will be undergoing rehab for the next few weeks under the guidance of Klaus Eder, who acts as the physiotherapist for the German national football team.
"There are specialists there who make sure that I can play again as soon as possible," Zverev said.