World No. 2 Alexander Zverev has quickly gone from “Mr. Almost” to a two-time Grand Slam champion, racking up wins at the French Open and US Open within three months.
His path to the top was paved with formidable obstacles. Beyond running into the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, he has managed Type 1 Diabetes since he was a four-year-old in Hamburg. While he rarely cited the condition as a factor in his previous major title droughts, he spoke candidly about it following his Sunday triumph at Flushing Meadows.
In the aftermath of his victory, a tearful Zverev shared a tribute to his mother, former pro tennis player Irina Zverev, crediting her for encouraging him to relentlessly pursue the sport despite his challenging diagnosis.
“I wanna thank one more person who’s never actually watching my matches but is the most important person in my tennis life and in my life in general,” Zverev said, via Tennis Letter, addressing his mom after beating Ben Shelton for the US Open crown.
Alexander Zverev Thanks His Mother
“When your 4-year-old son gets diagnosed with diabetes, and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very very limited for that child, it takes a very very strong mother to walk out of those offices and say ‘My son will be wherever he wants to be.’
“‘If he wants to be a tennis player he’ll be a tennis player,'” Zverev continued, giving insight into his mother’s outlook.
“‘If he wants to do something else, he’ll do something else. But this illness will not define us.’ My mother is the most important and strongest person I know.
“It takes an unbelievably strong woman to do what she did,” he added.
Zverev has spoken about having to manage his condition on a daily basis, especially on match days. He manages his blood sugar mid-match using a smartphone-synced continuous glucose monitor, holding special medical clearance to bypass the sport’s ban on electronics. He also administers courtside insulin injections — a necessity he had to defend during the 2023 French Open when confused officials tried to stop him.
Alexander Zverev Wins Second Major
The 29-year-old became the second-oldest player (29 years, 132 days) to win their maiden US Open title, proving that hard work and perseverance do pay off.
Some have tried to discredit Zverev’s wins, pointing to the absence of Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open and an injured World No. 1 Jannik Sinner at the US Open. However, Zverev sent a clear message to those critics after his win on Sunday.
“I want to thank my team. We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now we’ve won two within the span of three months,” he stressed.
“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through. I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
Alexander Zverev Sends Heartfelt Note to His Mom After US Open Win