Alexander Zverev Crashes In First ATP Match Since June Injury At United Cup: Rusty former world quantity two Alexander Zverev crashed to defeat Saturday in his first ATP match since tearing ankle ligaments on the French Open in June.
Alexander Zverev Crashes In First ATP Match Since June Injury At United Cup
Rusty former world quantity two Alexander Zverev crashed to defeat Saturday in his first ATP match since tearing ankle ligaments on the French Open in June. The 2-time ATP Finals champion hit eight double faults in shedding 6-4, 6-2 to 81st-ranked.
Jiri Lehecka at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Enviornment to present the Czech Republic a 1-Zero lead of their tie towards Germany. It was Zverev’s first aggressive match since tearing three proper ankle ligaments throughout his Roland Garros semi-final towards Rafael Nadal, when he left court docket in a wheelchair.
A deliberate return on the Davis Cup in September got here up quick when Zverev pulled out after experiencing “excessive ache”.
The Olympic champion, who has dropped to 12 on the planet from a career-high two earlier than his harm, was clearly nonetheless struggling towards Lehecka.
He fended off break factors at 2-Three within the first set however a double fault at 4-5 handed the Czech set level and he grabbed the chance, changing with a lob.
The German labored two break factors within the first recreation of the second set, however blew the prospect with some wayward photographs.
Along with his serve not firing, he was damaged to go 3-1 behind and regardless of breaking straight again could not maintain the stress with one other double fault, serving to Lehecka go 2-Four in entrance and there was no manner again.
“I knew earlier than the match that he did not play for some time however with a participant like this, it could possibly in fact imply nothing,” mentioned Lehecka, 21, after one among his greatest wins.
“I used to be in a position to present up in essential moments. All of the expertise from final 12 months, shedding to good gamers, gave me the boldness to play towards a participant like him.”
The Czechs misplaced their opening tie within the match — a brand new 18-country mixed-teams occasion being held in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney — to the USA 4-1. Germany had been making their first look.
Spain’s 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal and Polish ladies’s world primary Iga Swiatek play later.
World quantity two Nadal opens Saturday’s second session in Sydney towards Britain’s Cameron Norrie, ranked 14. They’ve performed 4 occasions earlier than, with Norrie but to win.
Swiatek, who has led the rankings for 39 weeks, faces Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Enviornment, having received their solely earlier assembly in straight units.
