Alexander Zverev makes Stuttgart Open U-turn after Roland Garros final defeat

Alexander Zverev won't play from Thursday onwards at the 2024 Stuttgart Open. The recent Roland Garros finalist has withdrawn from the tournament on Tuesday afternoon with Richard Gasquet taking his place.

Always a fairly baffling decision to play in the first place, others such as Daniil Medvedev already withdrew from their grass court openers way before finals weekend at the French Open. Only Ons Jabeur on the WTA side as well as Alex de Minaur and Tommy Paul of the big names have headed straight onto the grass after runs in Paris.

So it was always going to be an unlikely route for Zverev given that he got to the final and also had a disheartening defeat to Alcaraz where after a dodgy line call, he was defeated from there with the Spaniard picking up his third Grand Slam title.

Zverev still doesn't have his first and amid the Stuttgart Open field which also features Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, it has now lost some semblance of star power. Going home, Zverev was the lead attraction. Now it is unsure aside from him playing Halle what other preparation he will get in for the grass court.

But it seems that will be his only stop on the way to Wimbledon after withdrawing from the Stuttgart Open. He was due to play on Thursday and was part of the draw when it was completed. But there was always the potential he would withdraw, now it is confirmed.