“Never experienced that before” – Alexander Zverev reveals real reason why he unexpectedly rushed off court during Halle clash
On June 20, 2025, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev shocked spectators at the Halle Open when he sprinted off court mid-match during his quarterfinal against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, later disclosing a sudden bout of illness that forced him to vomit, an experience he described as unprecedented, per ESPN. Zverev, serving at 1-0, 40/40 in the first set, requested a toilet break and bolted down the tunnel, visibly unwell upon return, bending over in exhaustion and gasping after rallies, per BBC Sport. He explained post-match, “I felt fine before the match. Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I felt really, really bad. I went to throw up, and then 15 minutes later I felt OK again. I don’t know what it was, I’ve never experienced that before,” per ATP Tour.
Despite the setback, Zverev rallied to win 6-4, 7-6(8) in 1 hour and 41 minutes, securing his fifth Halle semifinal spot, per News9Live. His 81% first-serve point win rate and unreturnable serve in the tiebreak sealed the victory, per The Tennis Gazette. Zverev, who faced a similar health scare in Hamburg in 2023, per @acrossthemersey, now prepares to face Daniil Medvedev, who also dealt with a nosebleed during his 6-4, 6-3 win over Alex Michelsen, per ESPN. X posts, like @TweetsOfSportUK, amplified the drama, per.
