Standing between Alexander Zverev and his glorious career was his type 1 Diabetes. He always knew it, but he didn’t let it stop him. And now, as his lifelong dream of a title was achieved at the 2026 French Open, Novak Djokovic couldn’t hold back his praise.

“Sasha, I have known you since you were 10 years old,” Djokovic wrote in an Instagram post dedicated to Zverev. “You were battling on the practice courts with my youngest brother while I was competing against your older brother, Mischa, on the big stage in both junior and pro circuit. I’ve nurtured a respectful and friendly relationship with your entire family for many years.

“We had countless conversations on tennis tactics, strategic plays, life, family, business. We had fun times on and off the court. Knowing what you had to endure with your illness from a young age, overcoming the greatest mental hurdle within yourself and shutting down critics who thought you would never win GS, makes this Grand Slam win even more special and memorable.

“Seeing the tears of joy you had together with your parents, brother, and other team members made me emotional. I’m happy that you made it and you absolutely deserve this success because you have worked so hard on every front to make it happen.”

Zverev had picked up the chronic condition at the mere age of 4. He had kept his diagnosis private during the early years of his career and had publicly revealed his condition all the way later in 2022. While most players only have to battle their opponents on the court, the German has also had to fight against his body in every match. Though it isn’t an easy task to manage a mental and physical battle at the same time, Zverev has now become used to it.

“There are definitely two games happening at the ‌same time: there’s the match everyone sees, and ​then there’s the one only I feel,” he had told Reuters in January. “If I don’t manage my diabetes properly, I can’t compete at the level I expect.”

Zverev has had to take a variety of measures to manage the condition while playing tennis at the highest level. He has had to use Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), a wearable technology that provides real-time blood sugar readings. He has also used insulin injections during changeovers to maintain his energy levels and prevent blood sugar highs or lows.

In addition, the tennis player has to plan his diet carefully and ensure that his blood glucose levels remain stable.

Despite his body constantly trying to hold him back, Zverev has managed to become one of the most successful players of his generation. He has 25 ATP titles under his belt, among which 3 came from doubles, and finally added a Grand Slam to his collection with his triumph at the French Open.

The 29-year-old went on to defeat Flavio Cobolli in a five-set thriller to claim his first-ever major.

While Zverev may go on to achieve much more in his career, he will have to manage diabetes further. He is well aware of this and knows that this is a major problem for children across the world. Keeping this in mind, he had taken a commendable initiative in 2022.

Alexander Zverev launched a charity foundation to support diabetic children

Zverev launched the ‘Alexander Zverev Foundation’ in August of 2022, based in his hometown of Hamburg, and is actively supported by his family members. The charity foundation is dedicated to supporting children and adults with type 1 diabetes around the world.

This initiative is deeply personal for Zverev, as he wants to provide kids who suffer from the same disease as him with the much-needed support that has helped him get where he is. The foundation also aims to support people who can still avoid getting type 2 diabetes by improving their lifestyle and taking the right medication.

“I’ve been a diabetic since I was four years old,” he had said at the Australian Open earlier this year. “I started my foundation, not only for athletes with diabetes but for kids with diabetes in general. Unfortunately, we live in a world where not every single country is as fortunate as Australia, the United States, or Germany, where you know everybody who is a diabetic has all the medicine, who has all the sensors, who has all the technology.”

Since its inception almost four years ago, the foundation has become quite successful and has reached more than 1,150 children and has collected more than €1,000,000 (more than $1 million) in donations. It is going ever so strong and aims to reach many more children in the future.