THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2024

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

T. FRITZ/A. Zverev

4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Sascha, tough day for you today. Give us your thoughts on how you're feeling.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, could be feeling better. All in all, I'm proud that I was fighting till the end, yeah. Obviously not an easy loss, but that's how it is.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can I ask you about the shot at the end at the net. You obviously respect each other. We're all curious what you were talking about. Your knee?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, me and Taylor, we grew up together, playing each other since juniors. I think it was fairly obvious that I wasn't 100% today, right? I wasn't moving really the entire match. I wasn't running for dropshots. If I was running for a dropshot, I was limping there more than running.

Towards the end, I mean, I thought from the fourth and fifth set, I was really struggling to serve, as well, to jump off on my leg, to create some power.

His team is extremely respectful. I think his coach, his physio, also his second coach, they're extremely respectful. I think there's some other people that maybe are in the box that are not maybe from the tennis world, that are not maybe from particularly watching every single match. They were a bit over the top.

That's okay. No issues. No drama. He fought back from two sets to love, so they're obviously all excited, very pumped up, yeah.

But no issues with Taylor. I think Taylor is a great guy. I have absolutely no issues with him.

Q. What are your thoughts on the way Taylor played and what his future might hold on the grass in this tournament?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, there's two ways I can answer that question.

First, obviously great that he came from two sets to love down. Respect.

I was on one leg today. He is playing great. I think he is also going to be in the semifinals of Wimbledon. I do expect him to win in the quarters.

But also I do know that the match was not high level. I mean, it wasn't a particularly great tennis match. It was, like, there wasn't really long rallies because I couldn't play long rallies. There wasn't really physicality.

Again, it was all coming from me. I just couldn't do that. So I knew, yeah, credit to him that he came back, but it wasn't a great tennis match, you know?

Q. What are your thoughts on the condition and what you'll be doing to learn about what you need to do to get better?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, I know what it is. I did an MRI yesterday. I have a bone edema in my knee, then I have also a tear in my capsule in my knee. That came from the fall. That came from the match against Norrie.

Bone edema, bone bruising, whatever. I don't know the terms in English, to be honest. Something with the bone.

So it is quite painful for that period of time. It is nothing that I need surgery on. It is nothing that doesn't heal by itself. It just needs time.

I do know that also I had a great opportunity here at Wimbledon. I didn't want to pull out. Yesterday I couldn't practice at all. Yesterday I couldn't walk even. Today I felt much, much better. That's why I did try to play.

I also knew I did have a great opportunity this year at Wimbledon. It's the best I've probably ever felt on the Wimbledon courts, the best maybe I've ever played here. I definitely didn't want to go out without fighting.

At the same time I was limited. It is how it is. I'm still proud of what I could do today. I think I got the maximum out of it, of what I could do. That's okay, as well.

I have to move on.

Q. Pretty big title coming up that I'm sure you want to defend at the Olympics. Do you have any concerns about getting in shape?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I have three weeks. From what I understand, it's going to be fine in a shorter period of time, yeah.