Screams, tears, knockout: The Zverev drama in Paris

The Olympic tennis champion twisted his right foot on Friday after just over three hours of play and was no longer able to continue playing. At that point it was 6:7 (8:10) in a dramatic game, 6:6 from Zverev's point of view. Nadal will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Croatia's Marin Cilic and Casper Ruud from Norway in the final on Sunday.

After he twisted his ankle, Zverev screamed loudly and remained lying on the floor. The 25-year-old was pushed off the pitch in a wheelchair. “He won’t come back,” said his brother Mischa as a TV expert Eurosport already shocked. A little later, Zverev came back to Center Court accompanied by Nadal on crutches, hugged Nadal and gave up the game. What a bitter end to a great game with countless twists and turns. Zverev cried in the dressing room Zverev had previously given Nadal a mega fight and repeatedly put the clay court king of Paris in dire straits. However, the German number one was unable to take advantage of many opportunities. Nadal once again made it to the final of the French Open.

“This is very hard for him. I am very sorry about that. “He played incredible tennis,” Nadal said in an on-court interview. “I know how hard he fights to win a Grand Slam tournament. I am sure he will win not just one but several,” the Spaniard said of Zverev. “To be in the final in Paris again is a dream. But at the moment it's hard to find words when I just saw him crying in the dressing room. A spectacular match Nadal was greeted with an ovation as soon as he marched onto Court Philippe Chatrier. The spectators rose from their seats and applauded - as if they could admire the Spanish exceptional talent live for the last time. The audience even sang a serenade in honor of his birthday. Everything was set for the next Rafael Nadal show on the red sand of Paris.

Once again in the final of the French Open: Rafael Nadal. © ANSA / CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

Because of the rain in the French capital, the roof over the facility's largest stadium was closed. There was an electric atmosphere when Nadal opened the game at 15.05:XNUMX p.m. But Zverev was initially unimpressed by all of this. The German number one played aggressively from the start and surprised Nadal with numerous unreachable shots. Right at the start he took the Spaniard's serve.

For seven games, Zverev then played the best tennis he had ever played at a Grand Slam tournament. But then suddenly there was a break in the German's game. Nadal was still far from his top form, but Zverev suddenly made a lot of slight mistakes. So he let Nadal back into the game, and the Spaniard managed the break to equalize at 4:4. Incredible passing ball seals the set win After that the game went back and forth. Zverev fended off three set points from Nadal when the score was 4:5, only to then miss two break points in the Spaniard's subsequent service game. In the tiebreak, Zverev suddenly had four set points. Zverev missed one with a slight volley error, Nadal fended off the rest in a manner that we know from him on the Center Court in Paris - simply world class. But Zverev held on, fended off two more set points from Nadal, only to lose the first round after 1:31 hours - because Nadal used his sixth set point with an incredible passed ball to the deafening cheers of the spectators.

The back and forth continued in the second set. Zverev immediately lost his serve, but fought back and continued to make life incredibly difficult for Nadal. When the score was 5:3, he served to win the set, but made three double faults. The decision seemed to be made in the tiebreak again, but then the drama happened and Zverev gave up.

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Screams, tears, knockout: The Zverev drama in Paris

What a drama! Alexander Zverev was stopped by a nasty injury in the semifinals against Rafael Nadal at the French Open in Paris.

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