A court case awaits at home
Alexander Zverev draws the hammer Rafael Nadal
23.05.2024, 16:02
His form is good, his competitors are weak: Alexander Zverev starts the French Open as a title favorite. But in Paris he will be playing against old master Rafael Nadal on his farewell tour. And at home he is facing a trial on charges of assault.
Alexander Zverev faced the toughest possible opening opponent in the draw for the French Open. The Olympic tennis champion will face 14-time Paris champion Rafael Nadal in the first round. Both had already faced each other at the Stade Roland Garros in the memorable semi-final two years ago, when Zverev twisted his ankle towards the end of the second set and suffered a serious ankle injury.
For Nadal, it is very likely to be his last appearance at his absolute favorite tournament. The 37-year-old Spaniard is constantly plagued by injuries and has announced that 2024 will probably be his last year on the tennis tour. Nadal, who is not seeded in Paris this time due to his many injuries, has so far achieved his best clay court result this year in the round of 16 at the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid.
At the Masters 1000 event in Rome, the former world number one was defeated in two sets by Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in the second round. Zverev won the tournament in the Italian capital and celebrated a perfect dress rehearsal for Paris. The German number one is aiming for his first Grand Slam title in Paris.
Will Zverev pull off a big hit this time?
Zverev has been very close to a major triumph twice. In 2020 at the US Open final, Zverev lost a 2-0 set lead against his Austrian friend Dominic Thiem. A year and a half later, he met Nadal on an equal footing until the injury. “The last two years have been very difficult,” said Zverev, who fought for a long time to catch up with the world’s best after his foot injury. “I didn’t know if I would ever be able to play on this stage again.” He gave himself the answer with his Masters 1000 triumph last Sunday in Rome. He was celebrated as “Alexander the Great” in Italian newspapers. Will the coronation now follow in Paris?
“The stars are extremely well aligned” – with these words, Germany’s tennis icon Boris Becker predicted a successful tennis year in 2024 for his successor months ago. But Nadal’s draw in the first round was not yet known. Nevertheless, given Zverev’s top form and the weakening competition, the chances have increased again. “It’s always a bit unfair because it increases the pressure on him that he absolutely has to win,” said former player Andrea Petkovic on Sky: “I would rather say: He can.” In the best Barack Obama manner, Petkovic also threw a motivating “Yes, you can!” to the Hamburg native in front of the camera.
Jan-Lennard Struff also has legitimate hopes of reaching the second week of the tournament in Roland Garros after his ATP victory in Munich. For women, former world number one Angelique Kerber wants to do significantly better in her second Grand Slam tournament after returning from her maternity leave than she did in the first round at the Australian Open. But from a German perspective, only Zverev has a realistic chance of winning the title.
Zverev’s competitors are weakening
This is also reflected in the world rankings, where the 27-year-old has moved back into the top four for the first time since his serious foot injury. A pleasant side effect: This means that he will avoid the three other big tournament favorites Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at least until the semi-finals – if they all start at all. All three, including record champion Rafael Nadal, have recently struggled with injuries.
One thing is clear: Zverev wants to take advantage of his opportunity and is not afraid of taking any risks. He emphasized that he wanted to “play his most aggressive tennis.” Analyzes show that the Australian Open semi-finalist has made significant progress in terms of control and speed with his weaker forehand. He can rely on his backhand and especially his serve anyway.
How does the start of the process become noticeable?
So what speaks against him? Firstly, Nadal, who has repeatedly performed to unbridled standards in his living room and does not want to say goodbye after a single match at his last visit to Paris. Secondly, the start of the trial for the charge of assault at the Tiergarten District Court in Berlin, scheduled for May 31st during the French Open, could affect Zverev’s concentration. The topic was already taken up by international media during the Australian Open. Zverev’s opponents were also questioned about it. At the time, he said, he did not feel distracted by it.
Zverev is to pay a fine of 450,000 euros (90 daily rates of 5,000 euros each) for bodily harm. However, he denies the accusation and has lodged an appeal. He is accused of physically abusing a woman during an argument in Berlin in May 2020. The alleged victim is appearing as a co-plaintiff in the proceedings. Zverev does not have to appear in court himself. Until a final conviction is made, Zverev is presumed innocent.