Alexander Zverev has opened up on the serious injury that cost him a chance of making the French Open final.
The German player, still seeking a first Grand Slam title, was in the midst of a colossal battle with Rafael Nadal on Friday when disaster struck. Having lost the first set 7-6, Zverev was wide with a forehand as his Spanish opponent ensured a chaotic second set would end with another tiebreak.
But as he played the shot, the 25-year-old lost balance and badly went over on his right ankle. The immediate screams indicated the injury was severe, and sure enough he was taken off court in a wheelchair.
Zverev, 25, remerged several minutes later to shake hands with Nadal, and the umpire, as he officially conceded the match. The incident not only cost him a chance of glory at Roland Garros, but also robbed spectators of a potential classic with the two players already having been on court for three hours .
And on Saturday the world No 3 took to Instagram to update his followers in his condition: "Hey guys! I am now on my way back home. Based on the first medical checks, it looks like I have torn several lateral ligaments in my right foot," he explained.
"I will be flying to Germany on Monday to make further examinations and to determine the best and quickest way for me to recover." The Hamburg-born man, who is now almost certainly going to miss Wimbledon this summer, also expressed gratitude for the support he'd received.
"I want to thank everyone all over the world for the kind messages that I have received since yesterday. Your support means a lot to me right now!
"And many thanks to my friends from @goodwill_private_aviation for taking such good care of me in the given circumstances.
I will try to keep you updated as much as possible on further developments. See you next time @rolandgarros."
Alongside the message, Zverev uploaded a picture where he appeared in good spirits, giving a thumbs up as he posed by an aeroplane in Paris. He still had crutches and his right foot was in a protective boot.
The post received more than 339,000 likes within 15 hours of being posted, and the official @atptour account was among the first to reply. They simply said "Get well soon," with a heart emoji.
It is now Nadal, 36, who will contest the 14th French Open final of his career on Sunday when he faces Norwegian Casper Ruud. The icon has won all of his previous 13 and is the resounding favourite to claim a 22nd Grand Slam crown.
In Saturday's women's final, Iga Swiatek beat Coco Gauff in straight sets. The Polish world No1 prevailed 6-1 6-3 over the young American to claim a second French Open title in three years.
