Alexander Zverev has undergone surgery to mend the ankle injury he suffered during his Roland-Garros semi final against eventual champion Rafael Nadal.
Zverev collapsed on the clay on Friday, wailing in agony and clutching at his lower leg. He was helped up by a trainer, then taken away from the court in a wheelchair.
The 25-year-old confirmed on Wednesday he had undergone surgery at home in Germany to repair three lateral ligaments in his right ankle after they were torn when he turned his ankle chasing down a ball in the second set.
Zverev expressed his disappointment in an Instagram post, highlighting the irony of his situation. Next week he will climb to a career high No.2 in the world rankings, behind Russian player Daniil Medvedev.
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“We all have our own journey in life. This is part of mine. Next week I’ll reach a career high ranking of number 2 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,” he wrote.
Zverev explained that surgery was the best option to accelerate his recovery.
“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,” he wrote.
“My rehab starts now and I’ll do everything to come back stronger than ever!
“I am continuing to receive so many messages and would like to thank everyone once again for supporting me during such a difficult time.”
Zverev has been ruled out of Wimbledon, which starts on June 27.
It is a bitter blow as he was likely to have been the top seed at the All England Club with Russian and Belarussian players banned.
Zverev will now hope to return for the year’s final grand slam, the US Open, which begins on August 29.
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