In pursuit of Olympic glory, athletes give it their all, sometimes compromising their physical and mental well-being. Ask Alexander Zverev, who threw it all on the court while training for the Paris Olympic Games despite not being 100% fit. As a result, the effects were felt during the tournament and the defending champion bowed out in the quarterfinal against Lorenzo Musetti. Earlier today, he made a candid revelation about his physical fitness ahead of the US Open swing.

Following his Olympics heartbreak, Zverev has shifted his focus to the hard courts as the US Open comes up later this month. The German star will play in the Canadian Open this week and during an interview there, he was asked about how he felt physically going into the tournament.

Zverev mentioned, “I’m a bit sick as you can hear but uh that’s okay um I took you know three days off now from since Paris where did absolutely nothing. I did leave my apartment for 3 Days um so that that did me some good uh that really did me some good and help me.”

However, Zverev got the hint that something was wrong with his body at the German Open, two weeks before the Olympics. Despite this, he practiced in full swing and even participated in the mega-event. Later, he admitted that he got tired quickly and required long breaks.

For those unknown, Zverev is a Type-1 diabetic and has suffered from this condition since childhood. He can often be seen taking insulin shots in between the matches. The German star hinted that this condition might be one of the reasons behind his weak physical state.

Alexander Zverev’s shocking state in the middle of a match

The 27-year-old had a difficult draw and had to play some in-form players at the Paris Olympic Games. Additionally, his physical state didn’t allow him to give his best on the court as he struggled en route to the quarterfinals. In the second round, Zverev was up against Tomas Machac, who won the mixed doubles gold medal.

While Zverev won his match against Machac in straight sets 6-3, 7-5, he suffered a massive dip in his fitness in the middle of the encounter. Later, he revealed, “In the second round I couldn’t take it anymore after one set and today I had the same feeling. I have to clarify that. It’s time to see what’s happening and get back to the best form I had a few weeks ago. If there is a problem with your sugar level, you feel that you are going slower and you don’t feel like exercising. Here I feel dizzy and I see four balls coming towards me. I feel like I can’t do anything anymore.”

Nonetheless, Zverev wants to keep going and not stop. Thus, he is playing at the Canadian Open, where he is the second seed. Can the German star come back strongly in the upcoming tournaments? Let us know your views in the comments below.