Alexander Zverev officially withdraws from clay-court event right before the French Open

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Alexander Zverev has withdrawn from the 2026 Hamburg Open.

The German was scheduled to attend his home event as the number-one seed, but will now skip the final tournament before Roland Garros.

But why won’t Zverev compete in Hamburg this year?

Could a combination of Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Joao Fonseca, and Alex de Minaur beat Jannik Sinner?

He's just too good!

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Zverev explained why he withdrew on Instagram.

Alexander Zverev announces Hamburg withdrawal and admits he’s been struggling with a back problem

“I’m really disappointed that I have to withdraw from the Hamburg Open this year,” said Zverev.

“Hamburg is my hometown, and it is always special for me to play in front of a home crowd.

“Unfortunately, I have back problems that have affected me throughout the clay-court season. My medical team, therefore, strongly advised me to take a break from competition next week and recover.

“I have always tried everything to be able to take part in the tournament, even competing despite injury at times, but this time I have to listen to my body and follow the advice of my medical team.

“I wish everyone a great tournament and hope to see you again soon.”

The news isn’t exactly shocking as Zverev hinted at the withdrawal during his latest press conference in Rome.

After Zverev lost to Luciano Darderi in the fourth round, he said the following.

“Maybe this is a bit of a blessing in a bad moment for me,” he said.

“I can rest and recharge and be 100% ready for the French Open.

“I can take a couple of days off.

“I have almost two weeks now till my next match, so yeah, I hope I can use that time.”

Zverev may not have been 100% fit for the clay-court season, but that hasn’t stopped him from delivering some impressive performances.

Had it not been for the seemingly unstoppable Jannik Sinner, Zverev would have won the Madrid Open and could have played another final in Monte Carlo.

Alexander Zverev’s 2026 clay-court record (13-4)

• Monte Carlo Masters 2R [WIN] vs Cristian Garin, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
• Monte Carlo Masters 3R [WIN] vs Zizou Bergs, 6-2, 7-5
• Monte Carlo Masters QF [WIN] vs Joao Fonseca, 7-5, 6-7, 6-3
• Monte Carlo Masters SF [LOSS] vs Jannik Sinner, 1-6, 4-6
• Munich Open 1R [WIN] vs Miomir Kecmanovic, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
• Munich Open 2R [WIN] vs Gabriel Diallo, 6-1, 6-2
• Munich Open QF [WIN] vs Francisco Cerundolo, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2
• Munich Open SF [LOSS] vs Flavio Cobolli, 3-6, 3-6
• Madrid Open 2R [WIN] vs Mariano Navone, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
• Madrid Open 3R [WIN] vs Terence Atmane, 6-3, 7-6
• Madrid Open 4R [WIN] vs Jakub Mensik, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3
• Madrid Open QF [WIN] vs Flavio Cobolli, 6-1, 6-4
• Madrid Open SF [WIN] vs Alexander Blockx, 6-2, 7-5
• Madrid Open F [LOSS] vs Jannik Sinner, 1-6, 2-6
• Italian Open 2R [WIN] vs Daniel Altmaier, 7-5, 6-3
• Italian Open 3R [WIN] vs Alexander Blockx, 6-1, 6-4
• Italian Open 4R [LOSS] vs Luciano Darderi, 6-1, 6-7, 0-6

If he is fully fit for the French Open, he’ll certainly be one to watch.

Can Alexander Zverev realistically challenge for the French Open title?

Zverev will be seeded second in Paris, which means he will avoid Sinner until the final.

That’s good news for the 29-year-old, at least in the short term.

There aren’t many better than Zverev in best-of-five-set matches on clay, and with Carlos Alcaraz out of the picture, he’s in with a great chance of reaching his fourth Grand Slam final.

Alexander Zverev’s Grand Slam final record (0-3)

Unfortunately for Zverev, if Sinner is waiting for him in the final, he could be destined for another heartbreaking defeat.

Zverev has lost his last nine matches against the Italian, and even the most optimistic of fans would be wary of a 10th consecutive defeat should they meet in the French Open final.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Zverev in Paris.

The 2026 French Open begins on Sunday, May 24.