"Career over" - Zverev on first thought after Roland Garros injury

When Alexander Zverev rolled over in pain at Roland Garros many thought his career might be over and he was one of them.

All who witnessed Zverev's screaming as he fell to the ground will never forget it since it was awful to behold. Although it was very clear that he wouldn't be able to play tennis for a while, many people questioned whether he would even be able to play ever again.

"That was a bit difficult for me mentally," admitted Zverev after his win over Thiem in Saudi Arabia.

"Because then I had to start again and was told that now I can't do anything for 6 weeks. That was not so nice and not so easy. But when the accident happened, the first thought was, 'Your career is over. What if something is broken that you can never come back from or will never come back from?," added Zverev.

Read also

Anastasija Sevastova announces birth of her first child

Later in his recuperation, when he developed edema, concerns emerged once more about whether his ankle would ever be able to withstand the strain placed on it during a tennis match. Zverev found it difficult to deal with the edema because it was one of many low points in his recovery:

"Definitely, I think there were a few of them. But the one was really when I thought I was healthy and when I thought I could come back in the Davis Cup."

Read also

"I was a kid that got kicked out of public courts" - Osaka remembers humble beginnings

And the actual injury was also healed, but then I was told that the bones are not ready for the strain. Because I had extreme bone damage, had bone edema, and also a stress fracture in my bone at some point," explained Zverev.

His return was a triumph though as he defeated Thiem easily. He did lose to Medvedev later that day but it was a good experience overall.