Alexander Zverev has been flying high at the Paris Masters, with the third seed soaring into the semi-finals.
Zverev loves playing in Paris, with the German having knocked out Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.
It is one of the fastest courts Zverev has ever played on, but the third seed has been using that to his advantage.
Zverev also beat Tallon Griekspoor and Arthur Fils on his way to the last four, with Holger Rune now standing in his way of a final spot.
French hope remains in the competition in the other semi-final, where home favourite Ugo Humbert takes on Karen Khachanov.
Alexander Zverev says what doctors have said about his lung problems
World number three Zverev is the highest-ranked player remaining in the competition, and is the favourite on paper to lift the title.
But he has been struggling with a long-term lung issue, with Zverev asked in his latest Paris Masters press conference if he has recovered and whether he is 100% fit.
“I don’t know,” he responded. “I have to go do the scans and do the tests. I’m doing this after this week, going to Berlin to do the tests. I do feel okay. I feel fine.
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“But they also told me, doctors told me, you’ll gradually get together, but to be back at 100% will take a few months, because this is not something that just goes away like an illness within one or two weeks and then that’s it.
“It will take a few months, but I feel okay. I feel not like I’m getting super tired on the court or I struggle to breathe, but also, to be fair, the court here is so fast that there is rarely any long rallies. So I think that that is maybe helping me this week a little bit, as well.”
How has Alexander Zverev performed this season?
Zverev has endured a somewhat frustrating season by his own high standards, with just one title going his way.
But his lung issue has undoubtedly played a part in the struggles, with the 22-time ATP Tour winner falling short of his best in 2024.
Zverev does, however, boast a 61-20 win-loss record, and sits right behind Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings.
READ MORE: Alexander Zverev gives two reasons why he lost all his form this season after ‘incredible’ start to the year
Alcaraz, in turn, is behind only Jannik Sinner, with all three players having qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin.
A Paris Masters title would do Zverev’s confidence the world of good heading into the year-end event, with the German winning his only title in 2024 in Rome in May.
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