French Open winner Alexander Zverev is bidding for back-to-back Grand Slam singles titles at Wimbledon but has one slight problem - he is allergic to grass.
The famous grass tournament starts on Monday, with the German second seed drawn to play Belgian Alexander Blockx in the first round on Tuesday.
"I feel super. It is just a problem that we play on grass and I have a grass allergy," he told reporters after sneezing. "I have it every year."
The world number three lost in the recent Halle semi-finals on grass after his diabetes played up.
The 29-year-old has reached the men's finals of the other three Grand Slam tournaments but his best finish in London is the fourth round.
Like three weeks ago in Paris, Zverev is hoping to take advantage of the injury absence of twice winner Carlos Alcaraz. Last year's champion Jannik Sinner comes into Wimbledon after crashing out early at the French Open and having played little tennis since.
Already being a Grand Slam champion also helps.
"It already feels different," 2021 Olympic champion Zverev said. "I have more excitement, more freedom somehow, because I know that I have won one and that I did it.
On Wimbledon specifically, he added: "This year I have a different feeling, I have the feeling that I'm well prepared. I feel I'm playing good tennis at the moment and I will do everything I can to show that on the tennis court."
