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Dubai Duty Free Tennis: Zverev is flying again nine months after horror injury

German star makes his first semifinal of a big tournament after coming back from a serious injury crisis

Published: Thu 2 Mar 2023, 8:41 PM

Updated: Thu 2 Mar 2023, 8:42 PM

  • By
  • Joy Chakravarty

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Alexander Zverev hits a backhand return during his match in Dubai on Thursday. — M. Sajjad/Khaleej Times

Alexander Zverev hits a backhand return during his match in Dubai on Thursday. — M. Sajjad/Khaleej Times

There are certain things that Alexander Zverev wants to wipe clean from his memory. Like the injury he suffered during the semifinals of the French Open last year while playing a hard-fought match against the eventual champion, Rafael Nadal.

Or, the final of the 2021 US Open when he won the first two sets, only to lose the next three and the title to Dominic Thiem.


The German is focused on the present, and that present is looking very good indeed. Especially for someone who spent nearly six months in a cast since that fateful evening at Court Philippe-Chatrier, when he had to be carried out on a wheelchair after rolling his ankle and ripping three lateral ligaments in multiple places.

After failing to go past the second round in all his starts so far in 2023, Zverev can feel it all coming back, and Thursday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships was a great indicator of the terrific progress he has made.

Against a very tough, tricky and in-form opponent – Lorenzo Sonego of Italy – Zverev won 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 52 minutes.

That takes him into the semifinals, in which he will face the defending champion and second seed Andrey Rublev.

That’s all that matters for the world No16, who had climbed to No2 in the ATP Ranking the week after the French Open.

“To be honest, I’m starting to play decent tennis, which is nice after nine months. I’m happy about that. I’m happy with how the match went. I’m also happy how I handled the pressure situations. So, all in all, I think there’s a lot of positives to take from that,” said the 26-year-old after his match.

“Last year, during the French Open, was the first time in my life where I went into the (Carlos) Alcaraz match, and the Nadal match as well, thinking I am going to win the French Open. Obviously, I didn’t. Not only did I not win, I broke everything that I could in my ankle. So, it was a tough period.

“But after an injury like that, I’m happy where I’m standing right now. I’m getting back. I’m playing some decent tennis this week. Hopefully, this will continue.”

When asked if he was looking forward to the French Open given how well he played on clay last year, Zverev dismissed it by saying: “Guys, we’re in Dubai. Let’s focus on Dubai because I’m in the semifinals of a big tournament. We are in February. Roland Garros is end of May. Right now, I’m not really thinking about Roland Garros. It’s not my thought process.

“I’m playing the semifinals of Dubai and that's the only thing in my head.”

During the courtside interview, he was asked of the fact that he has already played a Grand Slam final helps him in tough situations, like the ones he faced against Lorenzo. He was love-40 down in the first game of the first set on serves, and then love-40 down on serve again in what proved to be the final game of the second set.

“The Grand Slam final is probably not something that I would like to remember in a way, but it’s also not my biggest achievement. I think the Olympics gold and the ATP Finals (both won in 2021) is also something that is of very high value in our sport,” said Zverev.

“For such moments, you gotta go back to the basics. You got to play each point by itself. You’ve got to remember what you can control, and what you can't. The only thing you can control in tennis is your serve. And that’s what I did – five first serves in a row and won the set. Maybe, it was experience, but I am just happy to be in the semifinals.”

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