Alexander Zverev: The man behind the tennis star

Many had long regarded him as a player who would never quite fulfil his potential – a hugely talented tennis player who would never make that final leap to the top. But Alexander Zverev has proved his doubters wrong: he is now the world number one, and the first German man to reach the top of the rankings since Boris Becker 35 years ago. With his first two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and US Open, Zverev made 2026 the most successful year of his career.

Tennis runs in the Zverev family

Alexander Zverev comes from a tennis-playing family. His parents were professional players in the former Soviet Union, while his older brother Mischa also pursued a career in tennis. The family moved to Hamburg in 1991, where Alexander was born on 20 April 1997. His family remains closely involved in his career to this day: his father, Alexander Zverev senior, coaches him, while his brother Mischa is his manager. His mother Irina has played a particularly important role. “The most important person in my life – and in my tennis career – has always been my mother Irina,” Zverev wrote in an article published by the players’ association, the ATP. She was his first coach. “I had a tennis racket in my hand almost as soon as I could walk,” Zverev told the children’s magazine Dein Spiegel.

Alexander Zverev was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of four. At the time, doctors reportedly gave his parents little hope that he could pursue a career in elite sport. But his mother Irina refused to be discouraged. “No matter what obstacle stood in my way, she would never have let anything stop me,” Zverev later wrote of her. “That’s why I never doubted that I could achieve anything.”

Zverev did not publicly disclose his diabetes until 2022. At the same time, he set up a foundation to support children with diabetes. But the tennis star’s public image has also been marked by angry outbursts. At a tournament in Acapulco in 2022, he repeatedly struck the umpire’s chair with his racket after a defeat, while the umpire was still sitting in it. Zverev was expelled from the tournament. “That was probably the biggest mistake of my tennis career,” he later said. 

Zverev has made headlines off the court, too. Two former partners accused him of physical violence, allegations he denied. Proceedings over an allegation of assault involving the mother of his daughter were discontinued in 2024 after he agreed to pay €200,000. The court made no ruling on his guilt or innocence. An ATP investigation into allegations made by another former partner were previously closed in 2023 due to insufficient evidence. 

The long road to the top 

Alexander Zverev was among the world’s best tennis players for years. Since turning professional in 2013, he has won numerous tournaments, including the season-ending ATP Finals twice, and he won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Yet for a long time, the ultimate triumph eluded him at the four Grand Slam tournaments, the biggest events in tennis. 

There were serious setbacks too. In 2022, Zverev injured his ankle during his French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal and was sidelined for months. In 2025, he went out of Wimbledon in the first round and subsequently spoke openly about his mental health struggles. After this he sought professional help. 

Zverev also changed his approach on court. Roger Federer had criticised him in 2024 for playing too defensively at crucial moments. The German now takes the initiative more often. Federer recently praised his “brave tennis”. 

Now Zverev is no longer the hunter: he is the hunted. His rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have dominated men’s tennis in recent years, and it was their spells on the sidelines through injury that also helped Zverev overtake them. But he earned his first two Grand Slam titles on his own merits. After years of setbacks, he has finally reached the very top. His next challenge is to stay there.