The tennis season may be nearing its end, but the excitement is far from over. With the Laver Cup weekend wrapping up, players and fans are now setting their sights on the highly anticipated Asian Swing. Stakes are high, and every match counts as we inch closer to the season’s final stretch. But in a surprising twist, there’s a bit of a breather for Carlos Alcaraz. The young Spanish star, known for his electric performances, might be feeling a sigh of relief after learning that Alexander Zverev has suddenly withdrawn from the tournament at the Beijing Open.
The German sensation has decided to take a break away from the courts after a grueling season so far. This was hinted at by Zverev himself soon after the Laver Cup, where his side, Team Europe, cruised through a sensational victory against Team World. Speaking after the tournament, Zverev had said that he would be taking a week off due to his latest performance which he considered to be subpar. His latest decision can bring some sigh of relief for his Spanish counterpart, Alcaraz.
Zverev was set to contest against Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and enter the tournament as the second-seeded player. He has demonstrated some great results in the tournament in the past as well, where he advanced to the semi-finals in 2023. Besides, despite losing the past two encounters against Alcaraz, Zverev has continued to maintain a balance in the head-to-head tally with 5-5. In such situations as this, his withdrawal from the tournament can prove to be beneficial for Alcaraz. Zverev’s withdrawal, meanwhile, comes in the backdrop of his rumored health woes that he is facing.
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During his match against Taylor Fritz in the Laver Cup, Zverev looked fatigued and was physically ailing during the match after each extended rally that kept him on the back foot during the match. Besides, he dodged questions on his health issues that was raised in the post-tournament interviews. Zverev seemed hesitant to provide specifics about his fitness and how it would affect his participation in future events when questioned about it, following his loss at the Laver Cup. “I was muzzled a bit by my management back there, by my brother and Sergej,” Zverev said.
His brother Mischa and manager Sergej Bubka also took a similar stance and opted to remain quiet about the German player’s health. “It’s about a person’s health, and we will not say anything about it,” Mishca said. Zverev also faced some struggles during the Paris Olympics. “I’m a bit sick as you can hear but uh that’s okay um I took you know three days off now from since Paris where did absolutely nothing,” he said ahead of the American swing. Interestingly, Zverev also took a subtle jibe at the scheduling of the tournaments that could have impacted his health.
“We need to do something” – When Alexander Zverev took a subtle dig at packed calendar
The scheduling challenges have been at the centre of debates this year with several players voicing out their concerns. The latest to join the fray was German sensation Alexander Zverev who seems to be struggling with some health woes.
Speaking during the Laver Cup, Zverev said, “I do feel like we need to do something about it,” when quizzed about the packed tennis calendar. “I mean, I’m on the player council, so I do think the ATP is working towards that. It’s not an easy solution but it’s definitely a solution that needs to be made.,” he added.
For the unversed, Zverev has the highest number of hours on court amongst all of the ATP Tour players in 2024. The German star has played 75 matches across 19 events, and has spent a totla of 172 hours on the courts, per Tennis Majors. The player who is the next closest to him is Lorenzo Musetti, who has spent 129 hours on court.
For now, it would be interesting to see how soon can Zverev overcome the challenges and return to the courts. Will his withdrawal benefit the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner? Well, only time will tell.