Alexander Zverev’s preparation for this year’s Roland Garros has been far from ideal.
And, having suffered a shock early exit at the Italian Open most recently, his form is hardly sparkling as he returns to Paris either.
The 29-year-old is widely considered to be the best player to have never won a Grand Slam title, and such a moniker actually brings a unique type of pressure that only increases as he continues to falter at that level.
Many would have tipped the French Open as his best opportunity to succeed at a major, particularly this year, given that Carlos Alcaraz was forced to withdraw through injury.
However, Alexander Zverev has now seemingly suffered his own physical setback, which might be worse than first thought.
Alexander Zverev suffers back injury right before Roland Garros
Whilst it was surprising to see the three-time Grand Slam finalist lose to Luciano Darderi in Rome, it was the way in which he faded which truly worried fans.
After all, having squandered four match points in the second set, Zverev then lost the deciding third set by a startling 6-0 scoreline.
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He followed this up by pulling out of the Hamburg Open, which marked the final opportunity to play before Roland Garros.
Explaining the decision, Zverev seemed regretful as he admitted: “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.”
On the surface, this might seem like a new injury emerging at the worst possible time. However, there’s reason to believe that this back injury might have been plaguing his entire season thus far.
Why Alexander Zverev’s injury could be even worse than first thought
Whilst we have heard little about Zverev’s physical state, there is a statistic that perfectly encapsulates his recent struggles.
And, it could be enough to argue that his entire game might unravel because of it.
Relayed by writer and podcaster Gil Gross on X, he outlined how the German’s first serve speeds have differed over the years.
In 2023, it settled at an impressive 128 mph, increasing slightly in 2024 to 130 mph. It dropped back to 128 mph in 2025, highlighting a consistent theme during this three-year period.
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However, with how crippling and underlying back injuries can be, there’s cause to believe that this latest one, which has seen Zverev withdrawn from the Hamburg Open, might have been plaguing him for some time.
After all, his average first serve speed for 2026 has taken a sharp downturn to just 123 mph.
