PARIS, France (AFP) — World No. 2 Alexander Zverev has withdrawn from the US Open as he continues his recovery from torn ankle ligaments, tournament organizers announced on Monday.
Zverev, 25, has not played since the injury he suffered during his semifinal against Rafael Nadal at the French Open in June.
He left the court at Roland Garros in a wheelchair and subsequently underwent surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his right ankle.
The German lost the 2020 US Open final to Dominic Thiem, having led by two sets, and reached the semi-finals last year.
He is still waiting for a maiden Grand Slam title, despite winning five Masters trophies and the ATP Finals twice.
His place in the main draw of the 29 August to 11 September tournament will be taken by American Stefan Kozlov.
Zverev had played in 27 consecutive Grand Slams since his 2015 debut before the injury forced him to miss Wimbledon.
He has been named in Germany’s team for the group stage of the Davis Cup finals next month.
Zverev might not be the only top-10 men’s player absent from the year’s final Grand Slam. Novak Djokovic is unlikely to be able to play because of his refusal to get vaccinated against Covid.
The 21-time major winner was forced out of last week’s Cincinnati Masters and Montreal earlier this month for the same reason.
Meanwhile, in Canberra, Australian tennis ace Nick Kyrgios will face court on alleged assault charges in October, after a Canberra magistrate rejected his appeal for a months-long delay Tuesday.
Kyrgios, 27, did not appear for the initial hearing, and details of the charge have not yet been disclosed.
During brief proceedings, his lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith indicated he would seek to have the case heard on 25 November.
Kukulies-Smith did not outline details of the application, citing the presence in court of a “large contingent of media.”
He said the world No. 26 Kyrgios, who reached his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon last month and is due to play at the US Open in New York starting on Monday, spent little time in the Australian capital but there was a window at that time in November.
Magistrate Louise Taylor said she was being asked to grant an extended adjournment of the case for unknown reasons.
She instead remanded the case to 4 October.