Alexander Zverev exclusive - 'Exact date for a comeback hasn't been set yet' as he continues ankle recovery

ByEurosport

Published 21/07/2022 at 09:35 GMT

Alexander Zverev has explained his recovery process to Eurosport after suffering a nasty ankle injury in his French Open semi-final clash against Rafael Nadal last month. Zverev said he is not sure exactly when he will be returning to the ATP tour, but that he is healing "very well". Zverev will have one eye on the US Open – the final Grand Slam of the year - which gets underway on August 29.

Alexander Zverev has admitted he is not sure when he will return to competitive action but said he is making “important progress” in his recovery from his ankle injury.

The Tokyo 2020 gold medallist has been out injured since June 3 after he took a nasty tumble and tore several ligaments in his right ankle which forced him to withdraw from his French Open semi-final match against Rafael Nadal.

The world No. 2 said he is healing “very well”, but is not sure when he will be able to return to the tennis court with the US Open on the horizon.

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"The healing process is going very well,” he told Eurosport.

“I'm making important progress every day and I'm looking forward to the next tasks that will bring me closer and closer to the tennis court.

“An exact date for a comeback hasn't been set yet, but I'm working every day to make sure it happens as soon as possible."

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Zverev went into more detail about the lengthy recovery process he is undergoing.

"The days are very long,” the 25-year-old explained. “You start very early and finish in the evening. We do a lot of exercises, there are always new ones that are added permanently.

“The foot is treated, mobility is worked out, strength and stability are rebuilt. In some cases, normal walking and running are re-learned. I do sprint exercises in the water, training sessions on the treadmill and bicycle."

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Zverev insisted he cannot overexert himself to try and speed up his recovery.

He said: “There are always dangers in professional sport, and even in everyday life you are exposed to dangers. My team and I work highly concentrated every day so that there are no problems. Of course, you want to train as much as possible, but you can't overdo it.

“I have to listen very carefully to my body and know when I have reached my limits. I'm used to getting the maximum out of myself almost every day, whether in training or matches. Exceeding it now could be counterproductive."

Zverev said he is in regular contact with Dominic Thiem, who is making a comeback of his own this season after suffering from a season-ending wrist injury picked up last summer.

The German joked that he wants to get revenge for his five-set defeat to the Austrian in the US Open final in 2020.

He added: "I get on very well with Dominic Thiem and we are always in contact.

“We both want to find our top form again because I still have a score to settle from our last Grand Slam match."

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