French Open: Alexander Zverev COVID negative and with a defense speech from the car
After his round of 16 against Jannik Sinner,Alexander Zverev was criticized for having dealt with his illness too lightly in the run-up to the match at times of a pandemic. Now the German is on record that he tested negative for the Coronairus - and justifies his behavior.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit:
Oct 06, 2020, 11:11 am
It was a curious picture that Eurosport television viewers saw on Monday evening. Alexander Zverev suddenly appeared, having returned to Monte Carlo from his Paris business trip to the 2020 French Open. Zverev was sitting in his car, an expressway could be seen in the background, the scene apparently took place at a gas station. But the most amazing detail was that Zverev was wearing a face mask in his car, even though there was not a soul around him. In any case, it seemed as if someone wanted to do it particularly well and exemplary.
Of course, none of this was a coincidence, because the mouth and nose protection had to do with what Zverev had to say in a conversation with the Eurosport crew. No, he does not have a corona infection, according to a recent test he tested negative again, Zverev said “exclusively” on the record: “I was just a little sick. We played for two weeks at eight degrees and drizzling rain. It's normal for the body to be tired. ”For the doubters, the 22-year-old from Hamburg also distributed the medical document of his corona test, the certificate from a Paris laboratory, via Instagram on this Monday evening. And he wished his conqueror Sinner all the best for the rest of the French Open.
Zverev obviously wanted to limit the damage caused by his latest episode in the Corona era, he was apparently expecting something like an ad hoc acquittal after his malaise turned out to be a common cold. Boris Becker, one of his Eurosport interlocutors, immediately came to the categorical conclusion that “everything is clear” for Zverev, the whispers and rumors are thus refuted. But was that true?
Zverev: "Been completely sick"
You have to look back on Sunday evening, to Zverev's statements at his press conference after the knockout in the round of 16. He had said there, for example, that he was “completely ill”, had a temperature of 38 degrees in the run-up to the game and perhaps shouldn't have played for the round of 16. And then, when asked about a possible corona disease, Zverev said: "I really hope it's not." Hope instead of certainty, that was Zverev's real problem. A problem that could not be solved with the subsequent test on Monday.
It was actually irrelevant how the official paragraphs of the current Roland Garros legislation on the pandemic were now in black and white. With not entirely mild cold symptoms and increased temperature, that's how much life experience should be in these Corona times, the path must lead in person to the doctor - and to an immediate test. Zverev, however, had only sent his physiotherapist, who also had a cold, to the Grand Slam medical team so that he should describe the player's symptoms and bring possible medicines. But to find out what it was exactly, a cold, a flu or more, only one should have presented - namely Zverev. It didn't, and one can only speculate about why. Thoughtlessness, recklessness, negligence?
Inglorious end of the "best Grand Slam season"
In any case, Zverev didn't have to be surprised that the old stories from the last Corona months were dug up again. The participation in the irresponsible Adriatic tour by Novak Djokovic, the forgotten party nights there. The later broken quarantine promise in Monte Carlo. With all of this, however, one also wondered whether anyone advised Zverev, apart from the omnipresent family members. The management agency of the top ten man has remained very discreetly in the background during this entire pandemic time, it did not appear as if Zverev was being controlled and managed. The fact that, after his farewell in Paris, which was discussed around the world, he was launching an awareness campaign at a private TV event, seemed anything but professional.
It was of course a shame for Zverev, this departure after the last Grand Slam appearance. The renewed criticism, the discussions, the doubts about its seriousness in these challenging days. Under other circumstances, Zverev's season would have been the focus, a very respectable season in which he slid past his first Grand Slam triumph by a hair's breadth. From his car he prophesied this on Monday evening: “I'm looking forward to the next Grand Slam year. Because I have the feeling that it could be interesting for me and for my fans. ”For the right reasons, bestan too.
Here Zverev's Statement to look up
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