By Shrivathsa Sridhar
NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) – Family was at the heart of Alexander Zverev’s U.S. Open triumph on Sunday, as the German thanked his mother for refusing to let his diabetes define his future after he claimed a second Grand Slam title.
The top seed beat American Ben Shelton 6-3 7-6(2) 5-7 6-2 at Flushing Meadows to finish a spectacular year at the Grand Slams in which he proved his doubters wrong.
Zverev had come agonisingly close to capturing his maiden Grand Slam title in New York in 2020, leading Dominic Thiem by two sets to none and later serving for the match in the fifth set before losing.
He finally won his first major crown at this year’s French Open after defeating Flavio Cobolli in five sets, and the German doubled his tally in New York despite making a shaky start to the fortnight.
Shortly after his victory, Zverev reserved his most heartfelt thanks for his mother Irina, a former professional tennis player, crediting her with refusing to let type 1 diabetes dictate his future.
“When your four-year-old son is diagnosed with diabetes and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very strong mother to say ‘my son will be whatever he wants to be’,” Zverev said.
“If he wants to be a tennis player, he’ll be a tennis player. If he wants to do something else, he’ll do something else but this illness will not define us.
“I’m happy that we worked through it and we’re doing things that we’re doing right now. My mother is the most important and strongest person I know because it takes an unbelievably strong woman to do what she did.”
The 29-year-old hailed his team, which includes his father, Alexander Zverev Sr, and his brother Mischa, for the hard work that had delivered him another major crown.
“We went almost 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now we’ve won two in a span of three months,” he said.
“I think God has seen how hard we’ve worked, how much we’ve suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before. Thank you, you are absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be here without you.”
Zverev also paid tribute to Shelton, who was bidding to end a 23-year American wait for a men’s Grand Slam champion.
“Ben, you’re an incredible player and an incredible person,” Zverev added.
“This was your first Grand Slam final but I already told you you’re going to be back here many more times and if I would have to bet all my money on it, I would bet that you would lift this trophy one day.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Janina Nuno Rios in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)
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