World number two Alexander Zverev said he was “super happy” with his recovery from ankle surgery despite having to withdraw from the US Open, the main draw of which begins in New York on Monday.
The 25-year-old German required surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his right ankle after suffering an unusual injury during this year’s Roland Garros semi-final against Rafa Nadal.
US Open organizers confirmed on Monday that Zverev has withdrawn from the hard-court Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows, where he finished second to Dominic Thiem in 2020.
“The recovery is going extremely well,” said Zverev in a video post on his Instagram account. “And I’m super happy where I am right now.
“But unfortunately I won’t be coming to New York this year.
“It was a very difficult decision, but the way the recovery is going… and how well everything is going… I just don’t want to take the risk of playing a best-of-five set match first.”
Zverev is expected to return to competition in mid-September during the German campaign in the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals in Hamburg.
“Of course I will miss it (the US Open) and of course I will follow it from afar,” Zverev added. “Unfortunately, I haven’t had another week or two where I would have been 100 per cent ready, but it is what it is.
“I look forward to seeing everyone at the Davis Cup. And I look forward to being back as soon as possible.”