DPA
Paris
Alexander Zverev battled his way back into the French Open semi-finals on Wednesday, a year after suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
The German left Philippe Chatrier in a wheelchair 12 months ago after being forced to retire during a compelling last-four clash with Rafael Nadal.
Zverev had struggled since returning to the tour in January but has buried his demons on the Parisian clay and fought for three hours and 22 minutes to make it past surprise package Tomas Etcheverry 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
"That was the most difficult year of my life,” he said.
"I love tennis with all my heart. I’m so happy to be back at this stage, I’m so happy to be able to play for a Roland Garros final again. I can’t be happier.”
Argentinian Etcheverry, 23, did himself huge credit in the biggest match of his career, wowing the Philippe Chatrier crowd with thumping winners and fighting to the end.
But it was Zverev who was just the stronger in the big moments, saving six of the nine break points he faced to make it to the last four here for the third year in a row.
Zverev said of his opponent: "He’s playing incredible tennis, he reminds me a lot of (Juan Martin) Del Potro, the way he hits his forehand especially. If he continues playing like this he’s going in the quarter-finals here a lot more often for sure and I think he can be top 10.
"I just had to remember that I have a pair of balls that I can use. I hope, I think I deserved to win. I’m just happy to be through.”
In the semis on Friday, he faces either 2022 finalist Casper Ruud of Norway or Denmark’s Holger Rune who contest the last quarter-final on Wednesday night.
The other semi is between world number one Carlos Alcaraz and 22-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.
Earlier on Tuesday, Olympic champion Zverev was allowed to take insulin shots on court at the French Open, a spokesperson for the tournament organizers told dpa on Tuesday after the player was told by officials that it looks "weird.”
Should the German player, who has diabetes, go into the dressing room to do so, it wouldn’t count as one of the two possible toilet breaks.
Zverev complained on Monday evening that officials at the French Open this year have been issuing conflicting advice over where he can inject his insulin.
"The officials said I need to leave the court,” Zverev said after his fourth round win over Grigor Dimitrov on Monday. "During my last match, they told me then this would count as a toilet break.”
"I replied: ‘Guys, come on! I only have two toilet breaks in a match but in a best-of-five-match sometimes I have to inject four, or five times.’”
He was told that "it looks weird” when he takes his insulin shot on court.
"If I don’t do it, my life will be in danger. But they said it looks weird. This discussion makes no sense,” Zverev said.
In August 2022, Zverev made it public that he suffers from diabetes type 1 and that the condition was diagnosed when he was a child.
Last August, he launched the Alexander Zverev Foundation to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body produce little or no insulin. Type 1, as in Zverev’s case, is not yet curable, so those affected have to take insulin shots for the rest of their lives.