Zverev bemoans hamstring injury: “If serve speed goes down, percentage goes down, it’s very difficult to compete with Carlos”

The German said he was hampered by the injury from the start of the second set in their US Open quarter-final

Chryslene Caillaud / Panoramic

September 7, 2023

It’s hard enough to beat Carlos Alcaraz right now if everything’s in your favour. If you’re struggling with an injury, then it’s impossible.

That’s what happened to Alexander Zverev at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday night as he was dismissed in straight sets by the world No 1 and defending champion.

Hanging tough with Alcaraz in the first set, Zverev said he began struggling in the second set.

“I was in the match the first set,” the German said. “I could have broken, it could have gone my way, it didn’t. Then the second set I felt something in my hamstring glute, left side. I couldn’t push off on my serve anymore. My serve speed was down quite a lot compared to the other days.

“Against him especially I needed a good serving day otherwise it would have been difficult. I think my biggest weapon was kind of taken away after the first set, and yeah, it’s difficult to even compete if you don’t have that.”

Alexander Zverev provides some advice for Carlos Alcaraz.

"Good luck. Go win it." pic.twitter.com/qD72RV26Vi
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 7, 2023

Zverev: “The biggest problem was pushing off my serve”

Zverev had battled for five sets to get past Jannik Sinner in the previous round but said he felt good as the match began.

“It just kind of appeared,” he said. “The problem is that it’s really bothered me. It bothered me running a little bit, but the biggest problem is pushing off on my serve. I think if the serve speed goes down, percentage goes down, it’s very difficult to compete with Carlos.”

Zverev said he had called the trainer as a last resort, knowing that very little could likely be done.

“I hate calling the trainer,” he said. “For me, a lot of players do it to disrupt the rhythm. For me, a lot of players do it for the wrong reasons.

“I just hate it, because at the end of the day you call the trainer but I don’t know what I have, right? But if you have a muscle tear or you have something wrong, what the hell is he going to do in three minutes? He’s not going to heal it in three minutes. That’s not gonna happen. I think a trainer is good for maybe taping, retaping your ankles, maybe taping something else.

“But at the end of the day, you know, I came to the locker room, he pushed it a little bit, he felt that something is wrong. He told me that, you know, it might be a small tear. But obviously I don’t know, so don’t say I lost because of the tear. But it’s not going to go away, especially if you go out there and have to sprint for dropshots three minutes later.”