{"id":38201,"date":"2026-07-11T17:37:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T17:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/38201\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T17:37:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T17:37:08","slug":"former-nearly-man-zverev-on-cusp-of-french-open-wimbledon-double","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/38201\/","title":{"rendered":"Former nearly-man Zverev on cusp of French Open- Wimbledon double"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Germany's<\/p>\n

Germany’s Alexander Zverev returns to Britain’s Arthur Fery during their Wimbledon semi-final at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 10, 2026. (AFP) <\/p>\n

After\u00a0trying\u00a0for\u00a0over\u00a0a\u00a0decade\u00a0to\u00a0win\u00a0a\u00a0Grand\u00a0Slam\u00a0title\u00a0and\u00a0overcoming\u00a0an\u00a0array\u00a0of\u00a0challenges,\u00a0Alexander\u00a0Zverev\u00a0is\u00a0one\u00a0match\u00a0from\u00a0making\u00a0it\u00a0two\u00a0in\u00a0barely\u00a0a\u00a0month\u00a0at\u00a0Wimbledon.<\/p>\n

Zverev\u00a0will\u00a0become\u00a0only\u00a0the\u00a0seventh\u00a0man\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Open\u00a0era\u00a0to\u00a0win\u00a0the\u00a0French\u00a0Open\u00a0and\u00a0Wimbledon\u00a0back-to-back\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0can\u00a0defeat\u00a0Jannik\u00a0Sinner\u00a0in\u00a0Sunday’s\u00a0final\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0All\u00a0England\u00a0Club.<\/p>\n

The\u00a06ft\u00a06ins\u00a0(1.98m)\u00a0German\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0destined\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0top\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0young\u00a0age,\u00a0hailing\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0tennis\u00a0family\u00a0where\u00a0his\u00a0mother\u00a0and\u00a0father\u00a0both\u00a0played\u00a0the\u00a0sport\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0high\u00a0level\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0former\u00a0Soviet\u00a0Union.<\/p>\n

“For\u00a0me,\u00a0my\u00a0family\u00a0is\u00a0everything\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0owe\u00a0them\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0for\u00a0helping\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0become\u00a0the\u00a0tennis\u00a0player\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0am\u00a0today,”\u00a0the\u00a029-year-old,\u00a0who\u00a0had\u00a0often\u00a0been\u00a0considered\u00a0the\u00a0sport’s\u00a0most\u00a0unfulfilled\u00a0talent,\u00a0previously\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0Zverev\u00a0was\u00a0accused\u00a0of\u00a0domestic\u00a0abuse\u00a0by\u00a0an\u00a0ex-girlfriend,\u00a0the\u00a0mother\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0child,\u00a0which\u00a0led\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0high-profile\u00a0court\u00a0case\u00a0in\u00a0Germany.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0case\u00a0was\u00a0dropped\u00a0in\u00a02024\u00a0after\u00a0a\u00a0settlement,\u00a0which\u00a0did\u00a0not\u00a0include\u00a0an\u00a0admission\u00a0of\u00a0guilt,\u00a0was\u00a0agreed\u00a0hours\u00a0before\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0due\u00a0to\u00a0play\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0French\u00a0Open\u00a0semi-finals.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0agreed\u00a0to\u00a0pay\u00a0the\u00a0German\u00a0state\u00a0150,000\u00a0euros\u00a0($171,000)\u00a0and\u00a050,000\u00a0euros\u00a0to\u00a0charity.<\/p>\n

Earlier\u00a0allegations\u00a0of\u00a0domestic\u00a0abuse\u00a0against\u00a0a\u00a0previous\u00a0ex-partner,\u00a0first\u00a0published\u00a0in\u00a0an\u00a0interview\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0in\u00a02020,\u00a0initiated\u00a0a\u00a015-month\u00a0investigation\u00a0commissioned\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0ATP,\u00a0which\u00a0was\u00a0eventually\u00a0dropped\u00a0due\u00a0to\u00a0“insufficient\u00a0evidence”.<\/p>\n

Known\u00a0by\u00a0his\u00a0nickname\u00a0“Sascha”,\u00a0Zverev’s\u00a0greatest\u00a0achievement\u00a0prior\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a02026\u00a0French\u00a0Open\u00a0was\u00a0winning\u00a0gold\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Covid-hit\u00a0Tokyo\u00a0Olympics.<\/p>\n

It\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0time\u00a0a\u00a0German\u00a0had\u00a0clinched\u00a0the\u00a0men’s\u00a0singles\u00a0title,\u00a0stunning\u00a0heavy\u00a0favourite\u00a0Novak\u00a0Djokovic\u00a0before\u00a0taking\u00a0down\u00a0Karen\u00a0Khachanov\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0final.<\/p>\n

“There\u00a0is\u00a0nothing\u00a0better\u00a0than\u00a0this,”\u00a0he\u00a0said\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0time.<\/p>\n

Born\u00a0in\u00a0Hamburg\u00a0in\u00a01997\u00a0to\u00a0Russian\u00a0parents,\u00a0Zverev\u00a0was\u00a0exposed\u00a0to\u00a0tennis\u00a0from\u00a0an\u00a0early\u00a0age\u00a0through\u00a0his\u00a0mother\u00a0Irina\u00a0and\u00a0father\u00a0Alexander,\u00a0who\u00a0remains\u00a0his\u00a0coach.<\/p>\n

They\u00a0moved\u00a0to\u00a0Germany\u00a0after\u00a0the\u00a0collapse\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Soviet\u00a0Union,\u00a0where\u00a0they\u00a0began\u00a0training\u00a0their\u00a0son.<\/p>\n

Zverev\u00a0has\u00a0suffered\u00a0from\u00a0diabetes\u00a0since\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0four\u00a0and\u00a0created\u00a0the\u00a0Alexander\u00a0Zverev\u00a0Foundation\u00a0in\u00a02022\u00a0to\u00a0support\u00a0children\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0condition\u00a0and\u00a0provide\u00a0medication\u00a0for\u00a0those\u00a0in\u00a0developing\u00a0countries.<\/p>\n

But\u00a0his\u00a0talent\u00a0quickly\u00a0became\u00a0evident,\u00a0winning\u00a0the\u00a0boys’\u00a0singles\u00a0tournament\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a02014\u00a0Australian\u00a0Open\u00a0and\u00a0becoming\u00a0junior\u00a0world\u00a0number\u00a0one.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0broke\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0senior\u00a0ranks\u00a0and\u00a0was\u00a0named\u00a0the\u00a02015\u00a0ATP\u00a0Newcomer\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Year.\u00a0By\u00a0the\u00a0time\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a020,\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0world’s\u00a0top\u00a0three.<\/p>\n

Highs\u00a0and\u00a0lows<\/p>\n

\u00a0Zverev,\u00a0who\u00a0idolised\u00a0Roger\u00a0Federer\u00a0growing\u00a0up,\u00a0made\u00a0his\u00a0first\u00a0Grand\u00a0Slam\u00a0final\u00a0in\u00a02020\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0US\u00a0Open,\u00a0agonisingly\u00a0losing\u00a0in\u00a0five\u00a0sets\u00a0to\u00a0Dominic\u00a0Thiem\u00a0after\u00a0being\u00a02-0\u00a0up.<\/p>\n

His\u00a0seemingly\u00a0unstoppable\u00a0rise\u00a0was\u00a0temporarily\u00a0halted\u00a0when\u00a0he\u00a0tore\u00a0ankle\u00a0ligaments\u00a0while\u00a0playing\u00a0Rafael\u00a0Nadal\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Roland\u00a0Garros\u00a0semis\u00a0two\u00a0years\u00a0later\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0underwent\u00a0surgery.<\/p>\n

Zverev\u00a0finished\u00a0as\u00a0runner-up\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a02024\u00a0French\u00a0Open\u00a0final\u00a0and\u00a0climbed\u00a0to\u00a0world\u00a0number\u00a0two\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0top\u00a0prizes\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0elude\u00a0him.<\/p>\n

“In\u00a0the\u00a0life\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0professional\u00a0athlete\u00a0you\u00a0will\u00a0have\u00a0the\u00a0highest\u00a0highs\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0lowest\u00a0lows,”\u00a0said\u00a0Zverev.<\/p>\n

“Getting\u00a0caught\u00a0up\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0lows\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0biggest\u00a0mistake\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0can\u00a0make.”<\/p>\n

A\u00a0third\u00a0Grand\u00a0Slam\u00a0final\u00a0defeat\u00a0followed\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a02025\u00a0Australian\u00a0Open,\u00a0in\u00a0straight\u00a0sets\u00a0by\u00a0Sinner.<\/p>\n

Doubts\u00a0about\u00a0whether\u00a0or\u00a0not\u00a0he\u00a0would\u00a0break\u00a0his\u00a0Grand\u00a0Slam\u00a0duck\u00a0resurfaced\u00a0as\u00a0Sinner\u00a0and\u00a0Alcaraz\u00a0dominated\u00a0men’s\u00a0tennis\u00a0by\u00a0winning\u00a0nine\u00a0consecutive\u00a0majors\u00a0between\u00a0them.<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0Zverev\u00a0finally\u00a0fulfilled\u00a0his\u00a0major\u00a0dreams\u00a0after\u00a0taking\u00a0advantage\u00a0of\u00a0Alcaraz’s\u00a0injury\u00a0absence\u00a0at\u00a0Roland\u00a0Garros\u00a0and\u00a0Sinner’s\u00a0shock\u00a0second-round\u00a0exit.<\/p>\n

“Now\u00a0finally\u00a0it’s\u00a0a\u00a0happy\u00a0end,”\u00a0said\u00a0Zverev\u00a0after\u00a0battling\u00a0past\u00a0Italy’s\u00a0Flavio\u00a0Cobolli\u00a0in\u00a0last\u00a0month’s\u00a0French\u00a0Open\u00a0final.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0added\u00a0confidence\u00a0gained\u00a0from\u00a0that\u00a0triumph\u00a0has\u00a0helped\u00a0him\u00a0ease\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0draw\u00a0at\u00a0Wimbledon\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0loss\u00a0of\u00a0only\u00a0two\u00a0sets,\u00a0with\u00a0reigning\u00a0champion\u00a0Sinner\u00a0standing\u00a0between\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0second\u00a0straight\u00a0Slam\u00a0crown.<\/p>\n

Related Story<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Cruz<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Serbia's<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Germany’s Alexander Zverev returns to Britain’s Arthur Fery during their Wimbledon semi-final at The All England Lawn Tennis…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38202,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[283,207,220,13121,285],"class_list":["post-38201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-french-open","tag-atp","tag-french-open","tag-roland-garros","tag-sascha","tag-wimbledon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38201"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38201\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}