The 2019 Geneva Open champion, Alexander Zverev, returns to the ATP 250 event this year, accepting a wild card invitation.
Once hailed as the World No. 2 following, now ranked 22nd on the ATP Tour, Zverev is set to grace the esteemed Parc des Eaux-Vives once more. Despite suffering a critical ankle injury that put a damper on his championship trajectory, the Olympic champion's road to recovery illuminates a burning desire to reclaim his spot amongst the world's tennis elite.
He hasn't been performing well lately and he's the first person to criticize himself as he knows it. The German said that he's playing his worst tennis since 2015 and to turn his fortune around, he will try to compete at one more event before he hits the court at Roland Garros.
In 2019, Zverev clinched the Geneva Open title in a heart-stopping final against Chilean Nicolas Jarry. The match was a roller coaster of epic proportions, with Zverev overturning two match points to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
He then couldn't defend his title next year, as the event was not held, and since 2021, the tournament was won every year by Casper Ruud, who leads the entry list also in 2023 as he'll attempt to complete a three-peat.
Notably, the first wild card was allotted to Grigor Dimitrov and the qualifying draw wild card was granted to Swiss player Jerome Kym. With the stakes high ahead of the second Grand Slam of the season, we can expect a lot of action in Geneva, with top players signing up for the tournament.
Zverev will want to forget his most recent loss to Daniil Medvedev in Rome and prepare in the best way possible for the tournament that will mean a lot for him as he could suffer a big drop in the ATP Rankings if he doesn't defend his last year's points.