Alexander Zverev revealed Tuesday he was still battling lung inflammation that saw him hospitalised after last month’s Laver Cup and caused him to miss the China Open in Beijing.
The world number two admitted that his illness would take a few months to clear completely but that he would play on until the end of the 2024 season, starting with this week’s Shanghai Masters .
“I was physically struggling, I was not healthy. I didn’t know what it was,” the 27-year-old German told reporters in Shanghai.
“I still have a feeling of maybe being a bit more tired than I’m used to.
“But it’s either I’m going to take the whole season off now or I’m going to play the way I can play.
Zverev is one of a number of players who have raised concerns about the packed ATP Tour calendar and its effects on health.
“The ATP doesn’t care about our opinion — it’s a money business,” he said last month.
Zverev won the Italian Open this year and reached the French Open final where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
But he described his performance at the US Open as “absolutely terrible” after losing in the quarter-final to Taylor Fritz.
Despite the illness, Zverev has set himself the goal of keeping his career-high ranking at the end of the year.
“For me personally it would be great especially to finish the year as number two in the world,” said Zverev, who could be overtaken by Alcaraz, who faces top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final on Wednesday.
“Carlos is playing great tennis right now, he’s in Beijing making up points, and I know that I have to be at my best to achieve that goal.”
Zverev confirms his participation in Shanghai and details the extent of his lung problem
The German spoke to the media about how the last few months have been physically and how long it will take him to recover from his issues.
Alexander Zverev is facing the Shanghai ATP with many doubts, but the German will try to give his best to achieve good results that keep him in the fight for the world number 2 position. Just a few days ago, Sascha confessed to suffering from pneumonia, explaining the recent physical problems he has been experiencing. He withdrew from Beijing, which caused him to lose the world number 2 spot to Carlos Alcaraz, but he won’t miss his appointment in Shanghai, where he was a finalist in 2019. In the pre-tournament press conference, Zverev confirmed his participation and discussed in more detail his pulmonary issue, while expressing his motivation to achieve his main goal at the end of the year.
– What is happening?
“I have had a small lung problem. I have inflammation in the lung again, which will take a few months, two or three, to completely disappear. I am taking medication, but the reason I withdrew from Beijing was because I was very ill, with high fever during and after the Laver Cup. In the end, I ended up going to the hospital as I didn’t feel well and had no energy to play. I was on antibiotics for a week. I feel better now, but my lung problem is still there. I still feel slightly more tired than usual, but either I take some time off, or I play as best as I can. The doctor told me that playing won’t delay my recovery or make it worse, so I’m happy to give 100% of what I have.”
– How would you summarize your season?
“I think my season has been a bit inconsistent. I had great moments, stable moments in the early season. Then the clay court swing was great, winning Rome and making it to the final in Roland Garros. It ended a bit bitterly there, but that’s how it was. I felt I was playing the best tennis of my life on the grass courts this year during Wimbledon until I got injured. I believe after the Olympics, my level dropped a bit, but once again, I was dealing with physical issues, not being healthy.
I didn’t know what it was. I had a lot of coughing for two and a half months, and no one knew where it was coming from. At least now we have answers. Now we know what it is and where it came from, so I’m happy about that. Yes, I had a slight drop in performance after the Olympics, but I hope to be back in top form again.”
– Ending the year as number 2, your goal
“It would be great to finish the year as the world number 2. The number 1 will go to Jannik, he assured that after the US Open. I think before the US open, it was somewhat open between Jannik, Carlos, and myself. I believe that finishing the year as number 2 and starting 2025 there would be incredible. Of course, I know Carlos is playing great tennis right now, gaining points in Beijing, and I know I have to be at my best to reach that goal.”
– A tournament that has changed its conditions since being a finalist in 2019
“This tournament has really changed a lot. When I played the final five years ago, the courts were very fast, the balls were moving at high speed; probably one of the fastest tournaments. However, I feel that has changed; the court has become slightly slower. Although the significant change has been the balls. We are using these Wilson balls, which are a bit odd tennis balls because they feel a bit dead, they don’t bounce much; it’s like there’s no air inside. I struggle a bit with these balls, I did during the US Open, and it’s challenging for me here as well. We will see; I’ll have to figure out how to adjust.”
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