Alexander Zverev has proclaimed he has no fear about returning to the US to play the US Open from August 31.

The German who copped criticism for breaking virus quarantine after competing in Novak Djokovic’s disastrous Adria Cup in June has been keeping a lowered profile in recent weeks.

He dodged potential home strife by pulling out of July’s exhibition event in Berlin, but has returned to the UTS this weekend in the south of France, where the seventh-ranked German told Tennis Majors:

"We’ll see when it (the shortened ATP season) continues. Obviously we’ll hope for New York,” he said of the Grand Slam which so far is due to go ahead inside a bubble in the most COVID-ridden country on the planet, where deaths are approaching 160,000.

The player who regularly trains in Florida warned: "The US right now is a dangerous place to go but we’ll see what they decide about the tournament.” 

Stoic New York officials insisted as late as Friday that it was all-go for their controversial, no-fan Grand Slam; but their optimism sounded provisional at best.

Zverev said he is "not afraid” of making the trip across the Atlantic.

"I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to competing again.”

The player is still involved in a trial period with new coach and former player David Ferrer, the Spanish dogged pitbull who retired only last season. 

Written by Bill Scott for grandslamtennis.online