Alexander Zverev is battling more than just his opponents at Wimbledon – he’s also up against a troublesome grass allergy. The pristine lawns are wreaking havoc with the No. 2 seed’s sinuses as he chases back-to-back Grand Slam titles.
For a man who struggles with the surface, he certainly spends a great deal of time on it. Zverev regularly finds the early rounds at SW19 tough going and is no stranger to a first-week five-setter.
Last year he suffered a shock five-set defeat to Arthur Rinderknech in the opening round. But this year tells a different story. The 27-year-old is brimming with confidence having claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in June.
He defeated Alexander Blockx in four sets at Wimbledon on Tuesday, before dispatching Valentin Royer in straight sets on Thursday. With Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner positioned in the other half, the draw has opened up considerably for Zverev – provided he can keep his allergies under control.
“I have a bit of a stuffed nose,” Zverev said. “Again, I will not die from it. It doesn’t affect me playing. I’m fine. Yeah, I think generally speaking you can’t compare the two years. Last year I was struggling a lot tennis-wise.
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“Also, I was not playing really well. This year I’m coming in as Roland Garros champion. I think the mindset is just very different, playing-wise very different. Of course I hope to continue my good form.”
Zverev had disclosed his grass allergy in the build-up to this year’s Championships. “I feel super. It is just a problem that we play on grass and I have a grass allergy,” he revealed after sneezing. “I have it every year.”
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