Alexander Zverev is determined to “come back stronger than ever” after undergoing ankle surgery on Tuesday.
Zverev tore all three lateral ligaments in his right ankle during the second set of his French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal last week.
The German is set to miss Wimbledon after his hopes of winning a first grand slam at Roland Garros came to a painful end.
Zverev is ready to knuckle down with his rehabilitation after going under the knife in his homeland.
Along with a picture of himself in his hospital bed giving the thumbs up, he posted on Instagram: “We all have our own journey in life. This is part of mine.
“Next week I’ll reach a career-high ranking of number two in the world, but this morning I had to undergo surgery. After further examination in Germany, we received confirmation that all three of the lateral ligaments in my right ankle were torn.
“To return to competition as quickly as possible, to ensure all the ligaments heal properly, and to reclaim full stability in my ankle, surgery was the best choice. My rehab starts now and I’ll do everything to come back stronger than ever!
“I am continuing to receive so many messages and would like to thank everyone once again for supporting me during such a difficult time.”
Nadal went on to beat Casper Ruud in the final in Paris on Sunday to claim a record-extending 14th French Open title, taking his astonishing tally of grand slam triumphs to 22.