Although stunned momentarily, - Reaching the final rounds, Zverev displaying his French Open readiness
Alexander Zverev, a renowned tennis player, experienced a shock during his quarter-final match against Taylor Fritz at the Masters in Rome. He slipped and tumbled to the red clay while the score was tied at 1-1.
"I didn't fall on my left hand," Zverev said to Sky Sports. "I was in pain, but the adrenaline kicked in. It felt like I was falling in slow motion. The surface in Rome is different from Monte Carlo and Paris; it's sandier and tends to disintegrate in the evening. It's like having the ground pulled from under my feet."
This unsettling incident reminded Zverev of a prior slip, which occurred during the semi-finals of the French Open against Rafael Nadal in 2022, where he tore several ligaments in his ankle and required a seven-month layoff. Fortunately, this time, it was just his left hand that sustained damage.
"I'll need to have it checked on Thursday," the Olympic gold medalist said. The physiotherapist had to treat him several times, yet Zverev persisted and ultimately triumphed, winning 6-4, 6-3. He will be facing Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (who recently defeated Novak Djokovic) in the semi-finals.
Despite the misfortune, Zverev played an outstanding match, displaying thunderous serves (around 220 km/h) and stunning points, showcasing his French Open form. "Taylor is one of the best clay court players this year," Zverev said. "So I'm pleased with my performance. I'm quite content with how things are going at the moment."
The second Grand Slam tournament of the year, the French Open, is slated to begin on May 27 in Paris. In the past three years, Zverev had made it to the semifinals in Paris. This time, he's looking to score the ultimate victory. Given Djokovic's weakened performance (he played poorly in Indian Wells, canceled Miami and Madrid, and was eliminated early in Rome), the chances are better than ever. However, that doesn't mean he has a free pass.
The likes of Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Andrey Rublev (who recently won in Madrid) also pose a threat and could potentially win the French Open. But with his current form in Rome, it's not unreasonable to assume that his first Grand Slam title could be in sight.
Taylor Fritz managed to catch victory later in the day, but Zverev's girlfriend Sophia Thomalla was notably absent, while Morgan Riddle (Fritz's girlfriend) watched with her partner. After a tough 90-minute battle, Zverev sealed his victory by converting his first match point, bringing him even closer to his sixth Masters success.
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Source: symclub.org
