PARIS: Alexander Zverev exited Roland Garros on crutches last year, the career-high ranking of No.2 in the world was the keep -sake. Some 12 months on, the three ligaments he had torn in his right ankle during the French Open semifinal suitably reconstructed, the German returned to this majestic coral-hued stage, ranked 27 and seriously short of matches on the right side of the scoreline.
He won just 16 matches in the first five months of the year.
The lanky pro – not the most eloquent of characters on the Tour, but sturdy in his shot-making – found his range at this picturesque Parisian suburb, where he’s into his third successive semifinal.
Zverev will clash with Norwegian Casper Ruud, the fourth seed and last year’s finalist, in the second semifinal on Friday. The first of the men’s singles last-four engagements pits world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz against the third seed Novak Djokovic.
Zverev is not looking at last year – the fall off the tennis precipice, his time away from the Tour and the price he has had to pay in the currency of match miles.
The 26-year-old is in the here and now.
“I’m talking about the injury more than I’m thinking about it,” Zverev said, adding that the recovery took longer than expected.
“In the beginning of the season, I was playing on one leg. Then until basically Indian Wells-Miami, I was in pain at times. I was not able to practice normally. Also, it takes time to feel the confidence again in your leg, to be sliding around the court, being able to move the way you were.”
“This was definitely a tournament that I marked on my calendar this year,” Zverev said.

“I’m here to win tennis matches. I’m here to go deep in a Grand Slam.”
Zverev leads the head-to-head against Ruud 2-1, the Norwegian won their last meeting, in Miami last year.
“Ruud has been there before. He was in the final here last year, so he knows exactly what it means and what it takes,” Zverev said of Ruud, who also made the US Open final last year.