Who is Alexander Zverev? Learn About the Player Who Won His First French Open

Tennis has been a game of patience. But, there are a few players whose patience has been tested by the game. One such player is Alexander Zverev whose patience has been tested over the years. For over a decade, the German player has been among the top 10 players. He has been an Olympic gold medalist. He won the Masters championship titles. He claimed the ATP finals title two times as well. But one trophy that defines his tennis career has been slipping away from him for years. 

Three times he played in a Grand Slam final however, he came back empty handed all these times. These were dramatic falls, heart-wrenching comebacks and in one instance a horrific injury which ended up having him in a wheelchair on the championships' court at Roland Garros. 

However, on June 7, 2026, in Paris, he broke the streak and emerged victorious. Zverev faced Italy's Flavio Cobolli in a five-set match winning, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, (5-7), 6-1 on Roland Garros' Court Philippe-Chatrier. Here is everything you need to know about Alexander Zverev. 

Alexander Zverev: Early Life and Family Background

Born in Hamburg, Germany on April 20, 1997, Alexander Zverev was born to Irina Zvereva and Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev. His older brother Mischa was born almost ten years before him and is also a professional tennis player. Both of Zverev's parents were professional tennis players for the Soviet Union.

The Soviet government often barred its players from competing outside the country, which limited how high either parent could rise in world rankings.

The family moved from Russia to Germany in 1991. Tennis was not only a sport, but a way of life for Zverev's family. 

Junior Career and Professional Debut

Zverev had a good junior career and topped the world rankings at junior level, completing his victory in the boys' singles tournament at the Australian Open in 2014. He was also the runner-up in the junior French Open and the semi-finalist at the junior US open.

The Olympics website mentions: “Zverev's talent became evident during his junior years. He won the boys' singles tournament at the Australian Open in 2014 before reaching the top junior ranking. His breakthrough continued in the senior ranks, highlighted by victories in two Masters titles and ascending to the top three in the world rankings by 2017.”

He turned into a professional in 2013 and in 2016 claimed his first ATP singles title at the Saint Petersburg tournament at age 19. In 2017, he was also the youngest player, since Novak Djokovic in 2007, to enter the top three in the rankings aged 20.

Rise to the Top: Masters Titles and ATP Finals

Zverev rose very quickly. He defeated Roger Federer in a final to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal in 2017 and it was his second Masters 1000 championship. This was his first time with more than one Masters title in a season by a player outside the 'Big Four' which were Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray. 

By the end of 2024, Zverev had won 23 titles, including seven Masters 1000 titles (Rome 2017 and 2024, Montreal 2017, Madrid 2018 and 2021, Cincinnati 2021, Paris Masters 2024), two ATP Finals (2018 in London and 2021 in Turin), and the Olympic gold medal he won in Tokyo in 2021.

As of now, Zverev has won 25 titles, including seven Masters 1000 titles, two ATP Finals, and the Olympic gold medal he won in Tokyo in 2021.

Grand Slam Statistics

But for all these years, the Grand Slam title was still quite away from him. Zverev had three straight final losses leading up to his victory in 2026.

He played his first Grand Slam final at the 2020 US Open. He bounced back from a two-set deficit in the semi-finals to beat Pablo Carreno Busta, but lost a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem in the final. 

The next finals were one of the most painful moments of his career. He was forced to sit out the remainder of the 2022 season after undergoing surgery on his badly injured ankle after the French Open semi-final victory against Rafael Nadal. 

All three of the lateral ligaments in his right ankle were torn. He came off the court in a wheelchair, and then rejoined the game on crutches and officially retired from the game. He did not play at Wimbledon that year, or at the US Open. 

Zverev came back in January 2023 with a victory in his hometown of Hamburg. He was the French Open finalist again this year, and he built a 2-1 lead against Carlos Alcaraz in the first set before going down 2-0 in the next two sets. 

French Open 2026: The Win That Changed Everything

Zverev was looking for an ideal opportunity at 2026's French Open. The top ranked Sinner struggled and wasted a two-set, and 5-1 lead over Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. 

Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam Champion, was also eliminated. Alcaraz, the reigning champion at the event twice, pulled out due to an injury on his right wrist.

Zverev took advantage of the situation. It took him four times to finally conquer the trophy against Cobolli. On the other hand, Cobolli had never progressed beyond a Grand Slam quarterfinal prior to this event and was trying to become the first Italian male singles player to win the trophy at Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago. This win of Zverev came after many years of struggle and his continuous wins over the time shows that record.