Alexander Zverev has been playing with holes in his toenails at the Australian Open as a result of a gruesome condition.
The controversial German tennis star is bidding to win a first ever grand slam title, taking on Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final for the right to face Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final.
He stunned two-time slam champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals with a four-set victory to set up a meeting with Medvedev.
However, in the wake of his sensational performance in the last-eight, Zverev revealed that he suffers from pain in his toes, with blood getting stuck under the nails of his digits.
As a result of the physical demands of tennis, toes can be pressed up against the front of the shoe, causing repeated pressure on the nails, usually of the big toe.
Alexander Zverev has been playing with holes in his toes to relieve pressure, he has revealed
The German is believed to be suffering from a debilitating condition called Tennis Toe
In turn, this causes blood to become stuck underneath the toes – a condition usually called Tennis Toe.
In a bid to relieve some of the pressure in the digits, the German has been playing with holes in his nails so that some of this built-up blood can escape.
‘I have a lot of blood under my toenails so that’s quite painful,’ Zverev said of the condition.
‘I take them out every single match but then obviously when you’re playing and running a lot, they came back.
‘You know what, I would much rather feel the way I’m feeling right now with maybe a bit of pain here and there and be in the semi-finals, rather than be at home right now and watching the tournament.’
He required a medical time-out during his statement win over Alcaraz in order to receive treatment on his feet.
Ahead of his last-four meeting with Medvedev, Zverev’s brother Mischa revealed that Alexander did not seem to be in any discomfort judging by how he was moving in practice, but revealed how his brother was combating the pain.
‘We saw he was practising, no issues he was moving well,’ Mischa said. ‘It’s not really blistered, there is just blood underneath the toenail.
Tennis Toe is thought to stem from repeated stress on the toes as they are pressed against the front of the shoe
Zverev takes on Daniil Medvedev for the right to take on Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final
‘We had to put a little hole in the toenail so that the blood and the fluids come out and now he’s actually playing with holes in his toenails.
‘We are trying to make sure that there are not too many fluids that can gather under the toenails so we have to release the pressure and tape it up but he is looking good so he should be ready.’.
German news outlets have reported Zverev will stand trial in May on charges of domestic abuse, after he was ordered to pay fines of £387,000 over an alleged assault of former partner Brenda Patea.
Zverev contested that fine against him and the allegation, forcing the case to trial. He stands accused of choking her against a wall just days before proposing to her.