‘I’m completely sick’: Alexander Zverev plays in French Open despite Covid-like symptoms

World no.7 Alexander Zverev has revealed he played in his French Open fourth-round match on Sunday despite having Covid-like symptoms.

Zverev lost 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to Italian teenager Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros but admits his was feeling sick and had a high fever during the match.

“I’m completely sick. I can’t really breathe, as you can hear by my voice,” the 23-year-old told reporters at the post-match press conference.

“I had fever, you know, as well. Yeah I’m not in the best physical state, I would say. I think that had a little bit of an effect on the match today. I warmed up today; I shouldn’t have played.”

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Zverev serves during his match against Sinner.

Zverev also told reporters that he had a 100.4° temperature following his victory over Marco Cecchinato in the third round on Friday.

Per the French Tennis Federation (FFT), any accredited person showing symptoms including a fever or breathing difficulties, should “report to the stadium infirmaries” for a test in a dedicated room, according to the New York Times.

In a statement sent to CNN from the FFT, it confirmed that Zverev “did not consult the tournament doctors before his match.”

“Zverev is up to date on his tests, which have all been negative. His last test was on September 29, with results received on September 30. Today he received a reminder for his next test, to be carried out within 5 days of the previous results. He did not consult the tournament doctors before his match.”

The US Open runner-up, who was not wearing a mask during the match, was inspected during the first set of the match by medical officials and was given nasal spray for which he used on both of his nostrils.

CNN has reached out to the Roland Garros organizers and Zverev’s team for comment but has not heard back.

Zverev reacts during his match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert at the French Open.

Last month, during the trophy presentation at the US Open, Zverev revealed his parents had tested positive for Covid-19 and couldn’t be with him during that tournament.

When asked if he was concerned about possibly being exposed to the virus saying, Sinner – whose win set up a quarterfinal match with 12-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal – said it was a “tough question.”

“I don’t know how he felt, you know. It’s a tough question. I can’t answer. I think he’s honest guy, so if he says that he has cold or fever or whatever, I trust him,” the world No.75 told reporters.

“But, you know, I think he physically conditions, it seemed that he was quite okay, you know, because in the third and fourth set he was running quite a lot.” Sinner added. “He was not that close to the line, you know, letting me play a lot.”

Sinner became the first male player to reach the quarterfinals on his Roland-Garros debut since Nadal in 2005.

“Playing against Rafa here in Roland-Garros, it’s not the easiest thing,” he said. “The record he has here, I think nobody can beat that. He is super confident here. So, it’s going to be a difficult match for sure.”

Zverev serves during his fourth round match against Sinner.

The French Prime Minister has confirmed the Greater Paris area is to be be classified as a “maximum alert” zone.

Measures come into effect Tuesday, with bars having to close. A press release by the office of Jean Castex says that the zone has crossed the three thresholds which would put it in that category: disease incidence rate, incidence rate for the elderly, occupancy rate of resuscitation beds by Covid patients.

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The measures for now will be implemented for 15 days, to be assessed thereafter, the press release says.

Restaurants are allowed to stay open under certain conditions.

Cesar Marin contributed to this report.