Alexander Zverev "not ready to go from clay to grass now" in withdrawing from Stuttgart

Roland Garros finalist Alexander Zverev will not make the quick transition to grass this week in Stuttgart.

On Tuesday, the world No. 4 withdrew from the BOSS Open. Zverev was the top seed and featured as the lone Top 10 competitor in the field.

“I've played a lot of tennis in the last few weeks and reached the final in Paris, where I played five tough sets. I feel that my body is not ready to go from clay to grass now,” he said in a statement provided by organizers.

Zverev expended 23 hours and 46 minutes on the court during his runner-up finish at the clay-court major, with his loss to champion Carlos Alcaraz accounting for fours and 19 minutes. It marked his second time losing a major final in a deciding set, after the 2020 US Open (where he was up two sets to Dominic Thiem).

Lucky loser Richard Gasquet replaced Zverev to face American Brandon Nakashima in the second round of the 250-level draw.

Zverev is next slated to compete at another tournament on home soil in Halle. The Terra Wortmann Open, an ATP 500, begins next Monday and is expected to welcome newly-minted world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and defending champion Alexander Bublik alongside the German No. 1.