As the 2025 French Open prepares to ignite Roland Garros on May 25, Alexander Zverev, the world No. 3 and last year’s finalist, arrived in Paris with a tale as electrifying as his on-court forehand. On Thursday evening, the 28-year-old German’s flight from Hamburg to Paris was struck by lightning mid-air, forcing an emergency landing back in Hamburg and delaying his arrival for the clay-court Grand Slam until 3 a.m. “My trip over was phenomenal, actually,” Zverev quipped during a press conference, his wry humor intact as he dubbed it the “best story of Roland-Garros so far.” The dramatic incident, which he shared with fellow players Jiri Lehecka, Brandon Nakashima, and several doubles competitors, adds a layer of intrigue to Zverev’s quest to capture his first Grand Slam title on the Parisian clay, where he faces American teenager Learner Tien in the first round on Tuesday.
The ordeal began when Zverev’s plane took off from Hamburg at 6:45 p.m., bound for Paris. Shortly after departure, a lightning strike hit the aircraft, producing a sharp noise but, as Zverev noted, “no real wobbling or anything.” The pilot promptly returned to Hamburg for a precautionary emergency landing. “We had to do an emergency landing back in Hamburg,” Zverev recounted, describing the moment with a mix of amusement and nonchalance. “It was the first time I’d been struck by lightning in the air.” Unable to secure another flight that evening, Zverev and his fellow players were grounded until he boarded a new plane around 1 a.m., finally reaching Paris in the early hours. Despite the scare, he downplayed the incident, calling it “a first-time experience” that caused minimal disruption beyond the delay. His ability to practice at Roland Garros on Friday suggests the late arrival hasn’t derailed his preparations.
Zverev’s journey to Paris comes on the heels of a challenging week. At the Hamburg Open, where he was the top seed, he suffered a surprising second-round loss to French player Alexandre Müller in a third-set tiebreaker. Battling a stomach virus, Zverev admitted, “I think everybody that knows tennis saw I wasn’t at 100 per cent.” The illness, which he insists is “not an injury” and will resolve soon, added to the drama of his travel woes. “It’s not an injury, but a stomach virus. It will go away, then I’ll feel OK again,” he reassured reporters, emphasizing his focus on recovery ahead of his Tuesday opener. The early exit in Hamburg gave him extra time to reach Paris, but the lightning strike ensured his trip was anything but routine.
Seeded third behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev is a formidable contender at Roland Garros, where he reached the 2024 final, falling to Alcaraz in a five-set epic. His 2025 clay season has been inconsistent, with a Munich title but early exits in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, where he reached the quarter-finals. Despite these setbacks, Zverev’s powerful baseline game and improved serve—hitting 42 aces in Rome—make him a threat. His first-round opponent, 19-year-old Tien, is no stranger, having upset Zverev at the 2025 Mexican Open in straight sets. “I know what to expect,” Zverev said of the French Open crowd, referencing past matches against French players. “It’s right that they support the players who are from here. It’s the same when I play against an American at the US Open.”
The lightning strike incident, while startling, has become a quirky footnote in Zverev’s Roland Garros narrative. His ability to laugh it off—“It seemed pretty funny because there was only a little noise”—reflects a mental toughness that will serve him well in Paris. With a tough draw potentially featuring Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals and Novak Djokovic in the semis, Zverev’s resilience will be tested. Off the court, he’s embraced the Parisian vibe, joking about the “amazing atmosphere” he expects, a nod to his Italian heritage earning him cheers in Rome. As he steps onto the clay, Zverev’s dramatic arrival underscores his knack for turning challenges into stories, setting the stage for a potential triumph at Roland Garros.
As the 2025 French Open prepares to ignite Roland Garros on May 25, Alexander Zverev, the world No. 3 and last year’s finalist, arrived in Paris with a tale as electrifying as his on-court forehand. On Thursday evening, the 28-year-old German’s flight from Hamburg to Paris was struck by lightning mid-air, forcing an emergency landing back in Hamburg and delaying his arrival for the clay-court Grand Slam until 3 a.m. “My trip over was phenomenal, actually,” Zverev quipped during a press conference, his wry humor intact as he dubbed it the “best story of Roland-Garros so far.” The dramatic incident, which he shared with fellow players Jiri Lehecka, Brandon Nakashima, and several doubles competitors, adds a layer of intrigue to Zverev’s quest to capture his first Grand Slam title on the Parisian clay, where he faces American teenager Learner Tien in the first round on Tuesday.
The ordeal began when Zverev’s plane took off from Hamburg at 6:45 p.m., bound for Paris. Shortly after departure, a lightning strike hit the aircraft, producing a sharp noise but, as Zverev noted, “no real wobbling or anything.” The pilot promptly returned to Hamburg for a precautionary emergency landing. “We had to do an emergency landing back in Hamburg,” Zverev recounted, describing the moment with a mix of amusement and nonchalance. “It was the first time I’d been struck by lightning in the air.” Unable to secure another flight that evening, Zverev and his fellow players were grounded until he boarded a new plane around 1 a.m., finally reaching Paris in the early hours. Despite the scare, he downplayed the incident, calling it “a first-time experience” that caused minimal disruption beyond the delay. His ability to practice at Roland Garros on Friday suggests the late arrival hasn’t derailed his preparations.
Zverev’s journey to Paris comes on the heels of a challenging week. At the Hamburg Open, where he was the top seed, he suffered a surprising second-round loss to French player Alexandre Müller in a third-set tiebreaker. Battling a stomach virus, Zverev admitted, “I think everybody that knows tennis saw I wasn’t at 100 per cent.” The illness, which he insists is “not an injury” and will resolve soon, added to the drama of his travel woes. “It’s not an injury, but a stomach virus. It will go away, then I’ll feel OK again,” he reassured reporters, emphasizing his focus on recovery ahead of his Tuesday opener. The early exit in Hamburg gave him extra time to reach Paris, but the lightning strike ensured his trip was anything but routine.
Seeded third behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, Zverev is a formidable contender at Roland Garros, where he reached the 2024 final, falling to Alcaraz in a five-set epic. His 2025 clay season has been inconsistent, with a Munich title but early exits in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, where he reached the quarter-finals. Despite these setbacks, Zverev’s powerful baseline game and improved serve—hitting 42 aces in Rome—make him a threat. His first-round opponent, 19-year-old Tien, is no stranger, having upset Zverev at the 2025 Mexican Open in straight sets. “I know what to expect,” Zverev said of the French Open crowd, referencing past matches against French players. “It’s right that they support the players who are from here. It’s the same when I play against an American at the US Open.”
The lightning strike incident, while startling, has become a quirky footnote in Zverev’s Roland Garros narrative. His ability to laugh it off—“It seemed pretty funny because there was only a little noise”—reflects a mental toughness that will serve him well in Paris. With a tough draw potentially featuring Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals and Novak Djokovic in the semis, Zverev’s resilience will be tested. Off the court, he’s embraced the Parisian vibe, joking about the “amazing atmosphere” he expects, a nod to his Italian heritage earning him cheers in Rome. As he steps onto the clay, Zverev’s dramatic arrival underscores his knack for turning challenges into stories, setting the stage for a potential triumph at Roland Garros.
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