Alexander Zverev laments about a back problem after Team Defeats Team Europe at the Laver Cup

Alexander Zverev has been dealing with a back injury since the Cincinnati Open in August.

Alexander Zverev laments about a back problem after Team Defeats Team Europe at the Laver Cup

Alexander Zverev (via Punto de Break)

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Alexander Zverev has opened up about a back problem after falling with Team Europe to Team World at the Laver Cup. The former World No.2 failed to win a match at the tournament, leading to a disappointing loss for his team, who were counting on his experience as the player with the most appearances at the event.

Zverev has looked far from his best on the court since losing to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open in January. The German star is going through a very rough patch in his career and it was highlighted during the North American hard-court swing, where he failed to reach a final despite being one of the favorites.

Zverev was expected to be the leader for Team Europe at the Laver Cup, showing some level of aggression and determination on the court. But on the second day of the tournament, he let his team down after losing in straight sets to Alex de Minaur. During the match, he looked far from his usual level of performance and showed signs of nervousness.

On the third day of the Laver Cup, Zverev was expected to beat Taylor Fritz and help Team Europe draw level with Team World. But the World No.3 fell to the American 3-6, 6(4)-7, which sealed Team World’s victory at the Laver Cup 15-9. The German star apparently struggled physically on the court and couldn’t raise the level of his game.

During his post-match press conference at the tournament, he praised Fritz for his brilliance in the tournament, but pointed out his back problem. The Munich Open champion revealed that he received two injections just to play the match:

Fritz has spectacular tennis; when he’s at his best, he can harm anyone. I gave it my all and was close to winning a set, but I didn’t seize the opportunities. I was unable to play tennis for two weeks after the US Open due to my back issues. I received two injections. For now, it’s holding up, and I hope it stays that way.

Zverev reached the third round of the US Open before losing to Felix Auger-Aliassime in four sets. He struggled physically during the match, but his back issue was noticeable during his straight-sets loss against Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open. Zverev has yet to reveal which tournament he will kick off his Asian swing.

Carlos Alcaraz disappointed after Team Europe failed to win the Laver Cup for the second consecutive year

Alexander Zverev’s teammate, Carlos Alcaraz, helped Team Europe take a strong 3-1 against Team World after the opening day of the Laver Cup. The World No.1 had won his first match at the tournament alongside Jakub Mensik in the doubles, but failed to continue with the momentum against Taylor Fritz in his first singles match.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (via the US Open)

He lost to the American star but did well to get back to winning ways, beating Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets, but that wasn’t enough to help Team Europe win. During the aforementioned press conference, he revealed that despite the tournament not going as he wanted he still loved the energy in the team:

Saturday night was tough, the defeat against Taylor was hard for me, but I knew I had another chance today. I think I played excellent tennis, both in doubles and singles. I love this competition for the chance to spend time with opponents, get to know each other more, and learn from them. There has been great energy this week.

Alcaraz will travel to Tokyo for the Japan Open after deciding not to defend his China Open title, which he won last season after beating Jannik Sinner in the final. The US Open champion will hope to win his eighth tournament this season following a splendid form on tour.