Alexander Zverev will continue competing despite admitting to having lung inflammation, which was a shocking admission, as the issue hasn’t yet been resolved.
Zverev was one of the best players in the world around Roland Garros. He played superb tennis and actually stood opposite Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the clay-court major.
The German was up 2-1 in sets in that final but ultimately lost. His form has slowly been dipping since then. He didn’t have a very good US Open series despite being among those expected to do well.
Even recently, Zverev hasn’t looked very good, even though he recorded a great win over Frances Tiafoe at the Laver Cup. Still, ahead of the 2024 Shanghai Masters, Zverev admitted to the media that he has been battling inflammation in his lungs for a while.
He also confirmed that it will take a few months for him to be clear of that, but even so, he has no intention of stopping playing during that time. It was a surprising admission because it seems like a bit counterintuitive decision.
Playing tennis puts heavy stress on the lungs, which are essential for breathing, and he already had breathing issues at the Laver Cup recently. But presumably, he was cleared to play, so that’s what he plans to do.
“Yeah, I had a bit of a lung issue. I have an inflammation in my lung that’s going to take a few months, it’s going to take about two, three months to be completely gone. So, taking medication.”
“But why I pulled out of Beijing was, I was quite sick, I had quite high fever during the Laver Cup and after the Laver Cup. I ended up in hospital. I didn’t feel great, and also just didn’t have the energy to play. I was on antibiotics for a week.”
As grim as it sounded, Zverev confirmed that he’s feeling a bit better now, and while the inflammation hasn’t gone away, the German feels ready to be back to competing.
Time will tell whether that was a smart decision and how his tennis will look, but the doctors told him that he could play, and that’s why he made the trip to Shanghai to compete at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
“I feel better now, but, of course, the issue with my lung is not gone, it’s still there. 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.”
“It’s nothing that will delay the recovery or will make it worse if I play, that’s what the doctor said, and that’s why I’m here, and I’m happy to give my 100 percent of what I have.”
