Alexander Zverev reveals he was in hospital with ongoing health issue as he plans to prepares to still play Shanghai Open

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Alexander Zverev is gearing up for the Shanghai Masters and it is almost a miracle that he will be competing.

The German, who last played at the Laver Cup, is in China getting ready for the ATP Tour‘s penultimate Masters 1000 event of the season.

Zverev is aiming to win his first title in China, but there is a strong chance he may not have made it to Shanghai, after providing an alarming health update.

The 27-year-old pulled out of this week’s Beijing event, but the reason for that now seems to have been revealed.

Alexander Zverev provides significant health update ahead of Shanghai Masters

Alexander Zverev will attempt to win just his second title of the year when he competes at the Shanghai Masters.

But the two-time Grand Slam runner-up just entering the tournament is an achievement in itself after Zverev was diagnosed with pneumonia.

This forced him to withdraw from the China Open and though there has been some improvement, he is still not back to full fitness and it will take some time before that is the case.

“I have an inflammation in my lung. It’s going to take about two, three months to be completely gone. Why I pulled out of Beijing was because I was quite sick,” Zverev told reporters.

“I had quite a high fever during the Laver Cup and after the Laver Cup. I ended up in hospital. I didn’t feel great and just didn’t have the energy to play. I was on antibiotics for a week. I feel better now, but, of course, the issue with my lung is not gone, it’s still there.

“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 (at the Shanghai Masters), and I’m happy to give my 100 percent of what I have.”

Who will Alexander Zverev face at the Shanghai Masters?

Zverev is seeded number two at the Shanghai Masters, ahead of French Open and Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz and Olympic champion Novak Djokovic.

He will begin his campaign against either qualifier Mattia Bellucci or lucky loser Billie Harris in the second round.

The draw has placed him in the same half as Djokovic and the pair could meet in the semi-final, while Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner could be waiting in the final.

On Monday, Zverev will slip to number three behind Alcaraz in the ATP rankings following his absence from the China Open and the Spaniard’s run to the title.