ALEXANDER ZVEREV DECLARES 'LIFE WILL BE IN DANGER' AS FRENCH OPEN BLOCK INJECTING ON COURT

Alexander Zverev has hit out at French Open officials for refusing to allow him to take on-court insulin injections during changeovers at Roland Garros. The 26-year-old German star has now booked his place in the quarter-finals in Paris after swatting aside Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets to reach the last eight.

But despite the convincing victory, Zverev was still left frustrated following his 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 triumph over the Bulgarian on Court Philippe-Chatrie.

That's because Zverev has to take insulin injections regularly to combat his Type-1 diabetes - something he is not able to do at the French Open.

The injections help ensure sugar is moved around Zverev's body from the blood to maintain energy levels.

Yet when Zverev attempted to take his shot of insulin during the changeover in his clash with Dimitrov, he was firmly stopped in his tracks by court officials.

Instead, he was told to leave the court but if Zverev was to do just that - it would automatically count as one of his bathroom breaks.

Following changes to ATP regulations in 2021, players are only permitted to have one bathroom break which can only last up to three minutes.

Yet it would get even worse for Zverev as when he attempted to conduct the injection away from the court, he was told the procedure could only be completed by a doctor.

The counter argument from Zverev was that he is experienced managing his own health and is therefore comfortable and confident carrying out the injections.

He then hit out at the decision during his post-match press conference, blasting French Open officials.

"They said I need to leave the court," Zverev said.

"During my last match, they told me that 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.'

"So I told them that it can not be like this because this would mean that something is not allowed that is necessary for my well being, for my life."

Zverev, who has set up his own foundation to help children with diabetes, later explained in detail how the tournament supervisor prevented him from taking the shot.

"During the second round there was a discussion so I went out to inject the insulin," he added.

"Then a supervisor entered the room that did not know about this and he got panicked and said: 'No, no, you can't do that. A doctor needs to come to inject it.'

"I told him that this is a wrongdoing because a normal doctor can't help me, if he is not specialised as he does not have the right data about how much I have to inject."

Zverev later made it clear it takes him just five seconds to complete the procedure, which he is willing to complete outside.

"They said it 'looks weird' when I do this on court. But this is not a clever take because if I don't do it, my life will be in danger."

The World No 27 faces Tomas Martin Etcheverry for a place in the semi-finals at Roland Garros.

2023-06-06T08:28:02Z dg43tfdfdgfd