Alexander Zverev won the US Open and spoke about supporting his mother after being diagnosed with diabetes as a child
Quick Look
- German tennis player Alexander Zverev won the 2026 US Open, beating American Ben Shelton in the final.
- After the win, he told how his mother supported him after being diagnosed with diabetes at the age of four, despite doctors' warnings about the sport's limitations.
- Zverev noted that his mother's faith in his abilities was key to his career and expressed confidence that Shelton could also win a Grand Slam tournament in the future.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Alexander Zverev is a German tennis player who won his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2026 and then won the US Open. In 2022, he publicly revealed that he was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of four, and that he hid the diagnosis out of fear of judgment and a desire not to show weakness to his rivals.
Brief retelling from RIA II
Alexander Zverev won the US Open, beating American Ben Shelton.
Zverev expressed gratitude to his mother for her support after being diagnosed with diabetes as a child and for her confidence in his athletic abilities.
MOSCOW, September 14 - RIA Novosti. German tennis player Alexander Zverev, after winning the US Open, spoke about the role of his mother in his career and recalled how she supported him after he was diagnosed with diabetes in childhood, despite doctors’ words about restrictions in playing sports.
On Sunday, Zverev beat American Ben Shelton to win the US Open for the first time in his career. He previously won Roland Garros in 2026, capturing his first Grand Slam title. In 2022, the German publicly spoke about diabetes and admitted that he hid the diagnosis given to him at the age of four because he was afraid of being judged and did not want to show weakness to his opponents.
“I want to thank one person who never watches my matches, but is the most important person in my tennis career and in my life in general. When your four-year-old son is diagnosed with diabetes and the doctors say that because of this his opportunities in life and sports will be severely limited, it takes a very strong mother to walk out of the office and say: “My son will be whatever he wants to be.” If he wants to become a tennis player, he will become a tennis player. If he wants to do something else, he will do this. But this disease will not define our lives." I am happy that we were able to go through all this and now have achieved what we have achieved. My mother is the most important and strongest person I know, because you need to be an incredibly strong woman to do what she did. So I also want to thank her," Zverev said after the match.
Zverev also said that Shelton will be able to win a Grand Slam tournament in the future, and thanked his team for their many years of work.
"Ben, you are an incredible player and person. This is your first Grand Slam final, but you will play at this stage many more times. If I had to bet all my money on it, I would bet that one day you will lift this trophy over your head. We couldn't win a Grand Slam for so many years, and now we have won two in three months. God saw how hard we worked and what we had to go through. 2026 is the result of all the previous years. You are amazing, and without you I would be here there wasn’t,” he added.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Ben Shelton will win a Grand Slam in the future
Possible · Within years
Open Questions
- What type of diabetes was Alexander Zverev diagnosed as a child?
- What specific restrictions in sports did the doctors name after the diagnosis?
- Does Zverev continue to receive medical treatment for diabetes at this time?
