Zverev, returning from tennis, says he is weeks from peak fitness | Mighty 790 KFGO

SYDNEY (Reuters) Alexander Zverev returned to competition for the first time since June following ankle surgery on Saturday, but said after losing 6-4 6-2 to Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic at the United Cup that he was somehow out of sorts. top match condition.

Zverev, 25, underwent surgery to repair damaged ankle ligaments after the injury he sustained in the French Open semi-final against Rafa Nadal.

The German’s return was further delayed in September when he suffered a bone swelling that forced him to withdraw from the group stage of the Davis Cup final. He then played in this month’s Diriyah Tennis Cup exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.

Zverev, who rose to world number two in June and has since fallen to 12th, said the injury was no longer a concern but needed more time to get his body up to speed after losing the mixed teams tournament in Sydney. .

Physically, I’m not at the level I need to be. This isn’t even a question. “I get tired much faster than usual,” Zverev told reporters.

I’m not as fast as I probably was. To be honest, I’ve only been pain free for about two, three weeks now, because basically all of Saudi Arabia. Before that I was in pain and couldn’t do all the different things I wanted to do.

I don’t think it’s from tomorrow, the day after tomorrow. It will be a few weeks before I get back to the level I want to be at.

Zverevs’ early promise has yet to yield a Grand Slam title, and the 2020 US Open runner-up said he did not have high expectations ahead of the Australian Open, which starts on January 16.

It’s hard to set high expectations now. I think it would be unrealistic and also quite stupid to set expectations for a win or something like that, said Zverev, who reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park two years ago.

Of course I want to win. Everyone wants to win. For me, it’s about restoring the shape I was used to.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru)