Alexander Zverev, the world No. 3 and 2024 French Open runner-up, faced a harrowing mid-air ordeal when his flight from Hamburg to Paris was struck by lightning, forcing an emergency landing back in Hamburg and delaying his arrival for the 2025 French Open. Speaking to reporters during a media session at Roland Garros on May 23, 2025, as reported by The Washington Post, Zverev recounted, “We were supposed to fly yesterday evening at 6:45 p.m., and we took off from Hamburg. We got struck by lightning. We had to do an emergency landing back in Hamburg.” The incident, which occurred on Thursday, May 22, 2025, disrupted his travel plans, with Zverev finally landing in Paris at 3 a.m. after boarding a different flight at 1 a.m.
A Mid-Air Scare
The 28-year-old German, traveling with fellow players Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka, and some doubles players, described the lightning strike as largely uneventful despite its severity, noting, “It made a little noise—no real wobbling or anything. It was a first-time experience.” He jokingly called it the “best story” of the tournament so far, per Nine.com.au. The flight’s return to Hamburg followed his early exit from the Hamburg Open, where he lost to Alexandre Müller in a third-set tiebreaker on May 21, 2025, admitting he was “not at 100%” due to illness, per Sportstar.
Preparing for Roland Garros
Despite the travel chaos, Zverev attended a practice session at Roland Garros on Friday and is set to face 19-year-old American Learner Tien in the first round on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Tien, ranked No. 67, previously defeated Zverev in straight sets at the 2025 Mexican Open, making the matchup intriguing. Zverev, seeded No. 3, is aiming to go one step further than last year’s final, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets after eliminating Rafael Nadal in the first round. He reflected on that experience, saying, “Rafa Nadal on Philippe Chatrier Court is the most difficult task in sports history,” and expressed excitement for Nadal’s planned ceremony at Roland Garros, per France24.
Context and Resilience
The lightning strike, while rare, aligns with aviation data from AerotimeHub, which estimates planes are hit once per 1,000 flight hours, typically without damage due to modern aircraft design. Fans on X, like @TennisXtra, buzzed about the “wild” incident, relieved Zverev and his peers were safe. Zverev’s resilience will be tested as he navigates a challenging draw and the pressure of his fourth Major final appearance, having also been runner-up at the 2025 Australian Open and 2020 US Open. His Munich ATP 500 title in April 2025 remains his sole trophy this season, but his 2024 clay form, including a Rome quarterfinal, keeps him in contention.
