Zverev Confident In Defending Olympic Gold Despite Recent Injury
Alexander Zverev remains optimistic about securing a second Olympic gold medal in Paris, despite an injury sustained at Wimbledon. He slipped during his third-round victory over Cameron Norrie, later losing to Taylor Fritz in a five-set match. The world number four then competed in the Hamburg Open but lost to Arthur Fils in the final.
Zverev, who won an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo by defeating Karen Khachanov, is determined to compete despite his injury. He described it as a bone edema and torn capsule that does not require surgery. "To be honest, you know, the risk will stay for the next two, three, four weeks maybe because that's how long the bone heals, and that's what everybody told me," Zverev said.
He added that he doesn't want to rest for four weeks as he believes playing on the current surface poses less risk of aggravating the injury. "But, at the end of the day I also knew that I don't want to rest for four weeks because now we're playing on the surface where I don't see that big of a risk of doing the same motion again and doing the same movement again," he explained.
The tennis events at the Paris Olympics will be held at Roland Garros. This venue is familiar to Zverev, who reached the French Open final earlier this year but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets. His familiarity with this court could be advantageous as he aims for another gold medal.
Zverev's previous Olympic success made him the first German to win an Olympic singles gold since Steffi Graf in 1988. His victory in Tokyo remains one of his career highlights. "And of course, the gold medal I won at the last Olympics is one of the highest achievements you can have in sports and for me personally the greatest success in my career," he stated.
Potential Flagbearer Honour
Zverev is also among those considered to be Germany's flagbearer for Friday's opening ceremony. He expressed immense pride at this possibility. "If someone told me that I should walk in as a flag bearer, it would mean even more to me, to be honest (than winning the Olympics)," Zverev was quoted by SpilXperten.
"Leading an entire nation and so many top German athletes into the Olympics is simply the greatest honour an athlete can receive," he added. This potential role would add another layer of significance to his participation in Paris.
Despite recent setbacks, Zverev's determination and past achievements make him a strong contender for another Olympic triumph. His experience and resilience will be crucial as he navigates both recovery and competition.
Congratulations to 🇩🇪 Alexander Zverev & Belinda Bencic on capturing gold in Tokyo!
#TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/aullUWCudG— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 1, 2021
Zverev's journey towards another Olympic gold continues with hope and perseverance. His ability to overcome challenges will be tested once more as he aims for glory in Paris.
Sign in with Google