Alexander Zverev - "Not my best tennis right away"
Alexander Zverev is making his comeback this week after a half-year injury break in an exhibition fight in Saudi Arabia. The German number one keeps expectations rather low.
by SID
last edit: Dec 06, 2022, 07:34 pm
After a seven-month break, Olympic champion Alexander Zverev is making his comeback on the tennis court. The former world number two from Hamburg will compete in the Diriyah Tennis Cup in Saudi Arabia from Thursday, the show tournament is a first step on his long way back to the ATP tour.
"I'm happy that I'll finally be back on the pitch after my injury," says Zverev. And it is "all the better" that he can make his comeback "before the official start of the 2023 season".
Zverev seriously injured his ankle in the semifinals of the French Open in June and then underwent surgery. Most recently, the 25-year-old also suffered from bone edema, in November he caught Corona.
Zverev slipped out of the top ten
Of course, he could "not immediately" play his "best tennis", says Zverev, who slipped to twelfth place in the ATP ranking during his break. The winner of the hard court tournament will receive prize money of one million dollars.
Players eliminated in the round of 16 at the event in the suburb of Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh then compete in a doubles competition. In addition to Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas / Greece, the former world number one Daniil Medvedev / Russia and the Austrian Dominic Thiem are also there. The pay TV channel Sport1+ broadcasts live.