It’s Alexander Zverev’s 35th attempt to finally secure a Grand Slam victory. Yet, as the US Open approaches, the tennis star seems to be dealing with some physical issues once again.
In the United States, they are well acquainted with Groundhog Day—a tradition where a groundhog’s actions predict the weather, which has become a cultural phenomenon, especially after the popular 1990s film. Similarly, Alexander Zverev must feel as if he’s stuck in his own version of Groundhog Day at Flushing Meadows, New York, where the massive tennis complex hosts the US Open. The 27-year-old from Hamburg seems to be trapped in a time loop: another Grand Slam, another attempt, again and again—yet that elusive first major triumph remains out of reach. There always seems to be something hindering Zverev.
Held Back by His Own Body
In the past two years alone, either his opponents or his own body have let him down. At last year’s French Open and US Open, muscle injuries stopped Zverev in his tracks. Earlier this season, during the Australian Open, he fell ill with a fever just before the semifinals. During this year’s French Open, he led the final against Carlos Alcaraz 2-1 in sets before his energy levels plummeted. He was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon due to a knee injury. During his Olympic exit, the sweltering Paris heat nearly caused him to collapse.
Zverev: “My Tank Was Simply Empty”
Later examinations revealed nothing serious. His diabetes wasn’t the reason he had felt fatigued and unwell for some time. “My tank was simply empty,” Zverev explained in New York. However, the world’s fourth-ranked player didn’t seem completely healthy before his opening match on Monday at 5 p.m. against his fellow Davis Cup teammate, Maximilian Marterer, who had stepped in for the ailing Finn, Emil Ruusuvuori. A persistent cough just wouldn’t go away. “I still have a cough, but otherwise, I’m okay,” Zverev remarked. But being just “okay” might not be enough to clinch the title in the last Grand Slam of the season.
Is His Rising Form Enough?
Against Marterer, the world’s 101st-ranked player who replaced Ruusuvuori, Zverev’s improving form should be sufficient. He recently reached the semifinals of the Cincinnati warm-up tournament, where he narrowly lost to world number one Jannik Sinner.
However, the doping debate surrounding him isn’t likely to hinder Sinner’s confident title ambitions. Additionally, record Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and the world’s third-ranked player, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, aren’t likely to be stopped by Zverev during the tournament if he’s only feeling “okay.”
Zverev: “I’m Very Close”
Four years ago in New York, Zverev was just two points away from a major breakthrough. He’s never been closer. Now, with his 35th Grand Slam attempt, he stands before his first serve once again with high hopes. As a player who has won 22 ATP titles and a gold medal in Tokyo, whose serve—thanks to his nearly two-meter height—can reach speeds of 220 kilometers per hour like a missile, and who has amassed 52 victories this season, the most of any professional player, Zverev is still chasing that long-awaited triumph.
