Alexander Zverev has found a silver lining after his disappointing early exit in Rome, suggesting the extra rest ahead of the French Open could be “maybe a small blessing” during a tough period.
The German world No. 3 was knocked out in the round of 16 by Italian Luciano Darderi, losing 6:1, 6:7 (10:12), 0:6 after holding four match points in a dramatic second-set tiebreak. “I can rest and become 100 percent fit for the French Open,” Zverev said. The clay-court Grand Slam begins on May 24.
Reflecting on his performance, Zverev admitted he looked drained in the third set. “I can use this free time,” he noted, emphasizing the value of nearly two weeks before his next match. While he is scheduled to play at his home tournament in Hamburg starting this Saturday, tournament organizers confirmed as of Tuesday evening that no withdrawal or cancellation had been received from Zverev.
This marks only the second time this year Zverev has failed to reach at least the semifinals, and he continues to pursue his first title of the season. The pause before Paris, he said, might offer the recovery needed to reset.
