Italian Open 2024: Is Alexander Zverev Fit to Play Semi-Final Against Alejandro Tabilo? Injury Confession Sparks Fresh Fears

Alexander Zverev’s quarterfinal match was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The 2017 Italian Open champion faced a major blow to his hand during his clash against Taylor Fritz. Although he emerged victorious in the end, his on-court interview revealed an important update on his injuries, putting a question mark on his upcoming match.

The World No. 5 has successfully earned his place in the Italian Open semifinal against Alejandro Tabilo this season. While he was basking in the joy of victory after the match, a subtle sense of unease lingered in the back of his mind. After defeating Fritz in straight sets (6-4,6-3), the German tennis pro confessed, “I still have a little bit of pain, so once the adrenaline settles I’m going to check out tomorrow what it is. But definitely happy with the win.”

Nothing serious regarding the injury has been reported till now and Zverev has not spoken about anything about his appearance in the upcoming match. It’s likely that he will appear for the SF clash against Tabilo but his mid-match injury has everyone scared.

The incident occurred during the third game. At 1-1, 0/30, the third seed was completely engrossed in returning a powerful backhand shot. But fate intervened, as when he started moving towards the middle of the court, the 27-year-old player accidentally fell on his front. Landing on his stomach, Zverev cut his left wrist and right pinky finger.

Immediately, the match paused and the former World No. 2 was rushed for a physio. However, the scary moment soon ended. After some time, Zverev came back and played in his full form once again! Not only that, he took only 90 minutes to defeat Fritz and secure his 18th master’s semifinal appearance. And like a humble winner, Alexander Zverev further added, “Taylor has been one of the best players on clay this year. To have a win like that is great for me, especially after the fall.”

However, it is not the first time that he has faced a major injury during a match. Back in the French Open of 2022, Alexander Zverev suffered an ankle injury while playing against Rafael Nadal in the semifinal. And it took a dramatic twist, as he had to step away from tennis for the rest of the season because of that. Luckily, it did not repeat this time, as he coped with the injury very soon. But what is the secret behind his latest victory?

Alexander Zverev points to the one thing that he has “been working the most” in his career

Alexander Zverev is known for his powerful serve and flawless baseless play. And this match was no exception in this regard. Referring to this, during an on-court interview, Zverev gave an analysis of his own performance in the match. “When I’m hitting that shot well, that’s when I win. When I’m not hitting it too well, that’s when I lose. That’s definitely the shot I’ve been working the most on in my career, also my serve obviously,” said the German player.

His efforts were visible during the match. The 21-time ATP Tour title winner did not show any signs of faults during his serve throughout the game. On top of that, he did not face any break points either. Pointing to his style of play, he concluded by saying, “That’s what gives you the security to take maybe a bit more risk from the baseline. It’s the most important shot for any tennis player.”

Although his injury scared all of us during the match, we are hopeful that he recovers soon and gives us a glimpse of his incredible skills in the upcoming semifinal match in Rome.