Alexander Zverev Opens up on a Possible Achilles Injury at the Australian Open: “I Was a Little Scared”

Alexander Zverev has admitted he feared he had sustained an Achilles injury, a trend across the ATP in the past six months. The German No.1 fear was noticeable during his second-round match at the Australian Open as he called for a medical timeout in the fourth set.

Zverev looked to be running away with the lead against Alexandre Muller in Melbourne Park on Wednesday (January 21) after winning the first set 6-4. The last year’s runners-up looked far from himself in the second set as Muller responded audaciously, breaking Zverev in the ninth game to claim the set.

In the third set, Muller continued with the momentum before the match was halted due to rain cascading onto the court. The break seemingly helped Zverev, as he raised his level of play when the roof was closed. A third-set win meant Zverev needed just one set to seal his place in the third round.

Unfortunately, during the fourth set, Zverev began to struggle with a pain in his left leg and alerted the umpire that he needed medical assistance. When the physio came, it was ascertained that he was concerned with lower leg pain. After further assessment, he returned to the court and claimed the win 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

During the press conference, Zverev was asked about the pain he felt in his leg during his match against Muller. The World No.3 explained that after taking painkillers, he felt fine and returned to the court but was worried that he injured his Achilles tendon in the fourth set of the tie at the Australian Open:

I took a painkiller and after that I felt fine. I’m not a player who usually calls for a lot of medical timeouts during matches, but it’s true that I was a little scared at that exact moment. What I felt was a slight discomfort in my Achilles tendon, precisely an injury that many of my teammates have been suffering from these last two seasons. Perhaps that’s why I was worried. I asked the physiotherapist to check the whole area and he told me that everything was fine.

Achilles injuries have been among the leading causes of players hitting the sidelines in recent months. Holger Rune was the last high-profile player to be impacted by the injury and had to undergo surgery in October, and he’s yet to return to the court. The injury has often left players under a dark cloud about their playing careers.

Cameron Norrie aims to upset Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open

Alexander Zverev will face Cameron Norrie in the third round of the Australian Open. Norrie, who claimed his biggest career win over Carlos Alcaraz at the 2025 Rolex Paris Masters, will be eyeing another incredible victory in Melbourne. He has become a reliable force in British tennis, failing to reach the last 32 of a Grand Slam on just three occasions.

Ahead of Norrie’s clash against Zverev, he told Sky Sports that he will take a lot of confidence into the match, having beaten Benjamin Bonzi and Emilio Nava in the first and second rounds of the tournament. He added that he has been at his best on the court since the Australian Open kicked off:

I really can take a lot of confidence from the first three weeks of the year, how I’m managing my service games, how I’m putting a lot of returns in court. I feel like I’m there every single point. know that’s kind of my trademark, to be there every point. I think I’ve been doing a really good job with that. My tennis has been there. I’ve been feeling the ball great.

Norrie has enjoyed a good form on tour since last year. At one time in 2025, he was on the brink of dropping out of the top 100, but he’s currently pushing for a place in the top 20 in the ATP rankings. A win over Zverev will be a big statement to other players at the tournament.

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