Zverev, injured in Shanghai: “I have never retired from a tennis match in my life and I want to keep that streak going”

The grimaces of pain did not prevent him from winning against the Frenchman Quentin Halys in two and a quarter hours of the game. He also exhausted all three sets in his round of 16 duel with Alexander Bublikneeded 2h.37′ to get into the quarterfinals. He feels discomfort, sometimes very pronounced, in his right ankle, which was shattered by Rafa Nadal at Roland Garros 2022.

Sometimes he stops before serving. He looks at his box, with his father and brother, he also directs his gaze to the foot. But he pulls himself together and serves again, despite the fact that the evil intensifies. Sometimes he refuses to go for a side ball.

He doesn’t call the physiotherapist, nor does he consider leaving him. He continues to win, he continues to play, despite the fact that he is guaranteed promotion to world number one, which will be his until the end of 2026 once he surpasses the Italian in the ranking. Jannik Sinner.

Not even injured does he consider leaving a field Alexander Zverev. He had no choice in Paris, when he tripped, fell and had to leave the plant in a wheelchair. He returned using crutches to communicate that he could not continue.

“I have never retired from a tennis match in my life, except at Roland Garros 2022, when I really couldn’t walk. And I want to maintain that streak, I don’t want to retire without a compelling reason,” he said. Sasha Zverev, that on Thursday they will face Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals.

The injury, not serious but annoying, is there. “Yes, I started to notice discomfort in my ankle in the last match. Today I felt good during the warm-up, as well as in the first set. But, as the match progressed, towards the middle of the second set, the situation began to get a little worse,” he confessed.

Helps not to let him get comfortable on the fast track Shanghai. “When I started playing tennis. And I say when I started because it was more than ten years ago, many surfaces were like that. That’s why I also enjoy this type of matches and encounters. Serving at 220, 224 or 225 km/h. Without many rallies, without rhythm, but tennis is also this,” he claimed.

Sometimes dragging his foot, but convinced that he is going to exhaust all his sporting possibilities. “Once again I fought and won, so I’m happy,” said Alexander Zverev. There is supposed to be pain, not the danger of aggravating an injury that would be complicated because they repaired the ankle in the operating room.