The Japan Times - 'Finally a happy end' for tennis' former nearly-man Zverev

"Now finally it's a happy end," said Zverev after battling past Italy's Flavio Cobolli in five sets in Sunday's Roland Garros final.

"We've been losers at times... but at the end of the day we're Grand Slam champions now and that's what counts."

The 6ft 6ins (1.98m) German had been destined for the top from a young age, hailing from a tennis family where his mother and father both played the sport to a high level in the former Soviet Union.

"For me, my family is everything and I owe them a lot for helping me to become the tennis player that I am today," the 29-year-old, who had often been considered the sport's most unfulfilled talent, previously said.

"They both worked extremely hard and taught my brother (Mischa) and me everything we know," added Zverev.

He has been through the grinder on his way to the top, living with diabetes, dealing with a serious ankle injury and having allegations that he assaulted an ex-girlfriend splashed across the world's newspapers.

The court case was dropped in 2024 after a settlement was agreed hours before he was due to play in the French Open semi-finals.

He strenuously denied the allegations.

Known by his nickname "Sascha", Zverev's greatest achievement prior to the 2026 French Open was winning gold at the Covid-hit Tokyo Olympics.

It was the first time a German had clinched the men's singles title, stunning heavy favourite Novak Djokovic before taking down Karen Khachanov in the final.

"There is nothing better than this," he said at the time.

Born in Hamburg in 1997 to Russian parents, Zverev was exposed to tennis from an early age through his mother Irina and father Alexander, who remains his coach.

They moved to Germany after the collapse of the Soviet Union, where they began training their son.

His talent quickly became evident, winning the boys' singles tournament at the 2014 Australian Open and becoming junior world number one.

He broke into the senior ranks and was named the 2015 ATP Newcomer of the Year. By the time he was 20, he was in the world's top three.

- Highs and lows -

Zverev, who idolised Roger Federer growing up, made his first Grand Slam final in 2020 at the US Open, agonisingly losing in five sets to Dominic Thiem after being 2-0 up.

"That was exactly the time when I had real struggles with my serve and my second serve," he said of that match.

"I knew that my serve could break down at any moment. That's one difference that I do feel now, luckily for me."

His seemingly unstoppable rise was temporarily halted when he tore ankle ligaments while playing Rafael Nadal in the Roland Garros semis two years later and he underwent surgery.

Returning in January 2023, Zverev captured a 20th career title in Hamburg before having a fine 2024 season, in which he powered into the French Open final and surged to world number two, dispelling concerns that he was mentally frail.

"In the life of a professional athlete you will have the highest highs and the lowest lows," said Zverev.

"Getting caught up in the lows is the biggest mistake that you can make.

"You shouldn't try to evaluate everything when times are tough, you should try to find ways to get better when you're on a high."

A third Grand Slam final defeat followed at the 2025 Australian Open, in straight sets by Jannik Sinner.

Doubts about whether or not he would break his Grand Slam duck resurfaced as Sinner and Alcaraz dominated men's tennis by winning nine consecutive majors between them.

However, Zverev finally fulfilled his major dreams after taking advantage of Alcaraz's injury absence at Roland Garros and Sinner's shock second-round exit.

Zverev has suffered from diabetes since he was four and created the Alexander Zverev Foundation in 2022 to support children with the condition and provide medication for those in developing countries.

An avid football and basketball fan, his older brother Mischa also played on the ATP Tour.

K.Inoue--JT