PARIS, FRANCE — Naive German wunderkind and potential coronavirus carrier Alexander Zverev has hit back at reports he put the entire French Open at risk by playing with a high fever during his fourth round loss at Roland Garros, claiming he's immune to the virus because he's young, fit, and friends with Novak Djokovic.

Panic gripped the tournament grounds after news of Zverev's as-of-yet undetermined illness broke and French health officials placed the area under a strict lockdown until the German could be tested for COVID-19 and examined for any sign of intelligence.

"Why all the fuss?" asked Bavarian journalist and Zverev friend Felix Ubelhack. "It's not like he's killed anyone yet. He had a test a few days ago and it was conclusively almost 99.9% negative. Sure, now he has a fever and he can't smell anything, but does that really mean he has COVID-19? I'm not a doctor, but, no. No, it doesn't."

"If anyone's to blame, it's the guy who thought it would be a good idea to not test Alex before the match."

With the entire country already on high alert due to the worsening coronavirus pandemic, some French government officials have responded to Zverev's ill-advised behavior with a public call to arms, believing extraordinary measures may need to be taken in the upcoming fight to repel the German's virus.

"This was a reckless decision made by an impertinent youth," declared a junior deputy at the French Ministry of Defense. "The boy's cavalier actions are not only a grave concern to player safety at Roland Garros but also to the wider population of France. We cannot ignore this violation of our health protocols. We should call up all defense forces in response to this unprovoked viral invasion."

"The Germans cannot continue violating our borders and dry-heaving misery upon the French people. It must end here."