Alexander Zverev has undergone surgery on his right ankle following the horrific fall he suffered against Rafael Nadal in the French Open semi-finals.
Zverev, the German world No 3, was left screaming and writhing in agony after taking a heavy tumble late in the second set against Nadal. He left Court Philippe Chatrier in a wheelchair before returning 10 minutes later on crutches to confirm his retirement from the contest with Nadal leading 7-6 (10-8), 6-6.
On Sunday, Zverev posted a picture of himself on social media boarding a private flight back to Germany with his foot in a boot. Further medical evaluation confirmed that he had torn the lateral ligaments in his ankle, and on Tuesday morning he underwent surgery.
“We all have our own journey in life,” Zverev wrote on Instagram, below a picture of himself lying in a hospital bed. “This is part of mine. Next week I’ll reach a career high ranking of number two in the world, but this morning I had to undergo surgery.
“After further examination in Germany, we received confirmation that all three of the lateral ligaments in my right ankle were torn. To return to competition as quickly as possible, to ensure all the ligaments heal properly, and to reclaim full stability in my ankle, surgery was the best choice. My rehab starts now and I’ll do everything to come back stronger than ever.”
Recovery from the procedure typically takes three to four months, meaning Zverev is almost certain to miss Wimbledon and faces a race against time to be fit in time for the US Open, which begins in New York on 29 August. Zverev, a finalist at Flushing Meadows two years ago, was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals last September.
“My surgery hopefully went well. It’s going to be a road back, and hopefully I see you guys on the court soon,” added Zverev in a video clip accompanying his post.
“Today I’m looking forward to being back, I miss tennis already, I miss the fans already. We’ll see how long it will take me, but I’m excited about it.”