German Alexander Zverev has given up playing the group stage of the Davis Cup at his home in Hamburg, due to "extreme pain". His return to competition will not be "probably for several months", a-t he explained on Monday.
"I probably overdid it and now I'm in extreme pain," said Alexander Zverev, who said even walking is currently painful for him.
"I have to be careful, otherwise it can become dangerous for the future," added the former world No.2, who fell to 5th place in the ATP ranking published Monday after the US Open, for which Zverev had withdrawn. .
An edema in the right ankle has been diagnosed, and there is a risk of fracture.
He is obviously forfeited for the Davis Cup, "because we are talking about weeks, and more likely even months" for a return to competition, he said, quite depressed.
“I have to be careful, otherwise it can become dangerous”
Seeing Zverev on the courts again by the end of the season thus seems unlikely, and hope is more for a recovery during the preparation for the Australian Open at the start of next year.
In the French Open semi-finals on June 3, the 25-year-old German was forced to retire before the start of the second set tiebreaker against Rafael Nadal, as the two players fought an epic battle of more than three hours of gameplay.
On a support, Zverev's right ankle completely turned, the player left the Philippe-Chatrier court in a wheelchair and returned a few minutes later on crutches and in tears to formalize his abandonment (7-6 (10/8 ), 6-6).
Medical examinations carried out a few days later revealed the tearing of the three external ligaments of the right ankle, an injury which required a passage on the operating table and a period of rehabilitation.
Two months after his operation, the Tokyo Olympic champion in singles last summer was able to play tennis again in early August, and had made the group stage of the Davis Cup in Hamburg his goal.
He will therefore only be on the bench to support his teammates against France on Wednesday, Belgium on Friday and Australia on Sunday.
