The world No. 3 played a crucial role in Team Europe’s Laver Cup victory less than two weeks ago. On the final day of the tournament, Team World found themselves one match win away from the trophy.

But Zverev stormed back from a set and break down to beat Frances Tiafoe to force a decisive, winner-take-all battle which saw Europe’s Carlos Alcaraz beat Taylor Fritz to clinch victory.

Zverev pulled out of the China Open a day later. The 27-year-old had since confirmed that he was battling an illness during the team tournament and he has now disclosed that ended up in hospital.

Arriving in Shanghai for the penultimate Masters 1000 of the season, he explained: “Yeah, I had a bit of a lung issue.

“I have an inflammation in my lung that’s going to take a few months, it’s going to take about two, three months to be completely gone.”

Addressing his recent decision to withdraw from the China Open, he added: “So, taking medication, but why I pulled out of Beijing was, I was quite sick, I had quite high fever during the Laver Cup and after the Laver Cup.

“I ended up in hospital. I didn’t feel great, and also just didn’t have the energy to play. I was on antibiotics for a week.”

Although Zverev is ready to go in Shanghai – where he is a former finalist – he admitted the lung issue would likely bother him for the rest of the season. “I feel better now, but, of course, the issue with my lung is not gone, it’s still there,” he continued.

“I still have a feeling of maybe being a bit more tired than I’m used to, but it’s either I’m going to take the whole season off now or I’m going to play the way I can play.

“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, and I’m happy to give my 100 per cent of what I have.”

Zverev has a bye directly into the second round as one of the top seeds. He will begin his campaign against Mattia Bellucci, a qualifier.