Zverev speaks on his problems, the Shanghai tourney

 

‘I have the feeling that I might get tired a little quicker, but that will be with me for a while yet

 

Admin I Sunday, October 06, 2024

 

HAMBURG – Alexander Zverev wants to play for the title in Shanghai – despite pneumonia. After a short break, the tennis pro surprises himself.

Alexander Zverev started the tournament in Shanghai with ‘quite a lot of uncertainty’ due to his lung problems and has positively surprised himself with his tennis level. ‘I was on antibiotics for a week, so I didn’t practise. I didn’t really do anything,’ said the Hamburg-born player (27) after his unchallenged opening success at the Masters 1000 event.

He had the feeling that he was not yet at 100 per cent. ‘I have the feeling that I might get tired a little quicker, but that will be with me for a while yet,’ said Zverev.

Zverev happy with his shots

The French Open finalist is competing in Shanghai despite his pneumonia, having previously cancelled the tournament in Beijing and taken a short break. After a walk-through in the first round, Zverev prevailed 6:4, 6:2 against the Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci. He also coughed in the match, but progressed safely into the third round.

‘Of course I’m happy with the level,’ said the world number three. As far as the tennis was concerned, he felt good. ‘That surprised me a bit.’

Who will Zverev play in the round of 16?Even before the start of the tournament, the 2021 Olympic champion had explained that his lung problem ‘won’t go away within a week or two’. ‘It will probably take a month or two,’ he said. Nevertheless, the doctors had assured him that his health would not deteriorate if he played sport.

The German number one will not play on Sunday. His next opponent will be determined in the duel between Australian Jordan Thompson or Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands.

The top favourites Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have already booked their tickets for the round of 16. After losing the first set against the Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry, the Italian world number one Sinner prevailed 6:7 (3:7), 6:4, 6:2. Spain’s tennis star Alcaraz then also had more trouble than expected in his 7:6 (7:5), 6:3 win over China’s Wu Yibing. ‘I’m not used to feeling what I felt on the court today,’ said Alcaraz afterwards: ’He dominated me a lot.’