Alexander Zverev

Zverev resides in Monte Carlo, Monaco. He grew up in Hamburg and spent winters training at Saddlebrook Academy in Florida starting at age 12. He has a daughter, born in 2021, with his former partner Brenda Patea. In 2021, he entered a relationship with German actress and television presenter Sophia Thomalla.

In October 2020, his former girlfriend Olga Sharypova accused him of physical and emotional abuse during their relationship, alleging an altercation during the 2019 Laver Cup. Zverev denied all accusations, maintaining that they were untrue, and obtained a court injunction in Berlin against journalist Ben Rothenberg following published articles in Racquet and Slate. In October 2021, the ATP initiated an independent investigation into the claims. In a separate legal matter, Zverev filed a lawsuit against ACE Group International and CEO Patricio Apey regarding his representation contract, which was settled out of court.

Alexander Zverev was born in Hamburg, Germany, to Russian parents Irina Zvereva and Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev. His parents were both elite professional tennis players for the Soviet Union, where his father reached a national ranking of No. 1 and his mother was ranked fourth among female players. In 1991, following the imminent collapse of the Soviet Union, the family relocated to Germany after accepting coaching positions at the Uhlenhorster Hockey Club in Hamburg. His older brother, Mischa Zverev, also became a professional tennis player on the ATP Tour.

Zverev began handling a racket before turning two and started formal practice sessions at age three under the primary coaching of his mother, whom he credits with developing his technique and two-handed backhand. He participated in soccer and hockey during his childhood, but committed exclusively to tennis around the age of 12 after competing in an international junior tournament in Florida. His junior career was highlighted by winning the boys' singles title at the 2014 Australian Open, which propelled him to the junior world No. 1 ranking.

Zverev turned professional in 2013 and made rapid strides across the circuit. In 2016, at age 19, he claimed his first ATP singles title at the St. Petersburg Open by defeating Tomas Berdych and Stan Wawrinka, becoming the first teenager to win a tour title since 2008. Earlier that season in Halle, he earned a milestone victory over Roger Federer.

In 2017, Zverev captured five ATP titles, including his first two Masters 1000 crowns at Rome, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets, and Montreal. He finished that season ranked world No. 4 and qualified for his first ATP Finals. The following year, he won the 2018 Mutua Madrid Open against Dominic Thiem and concluded the season by winning the 2018 ATP Finals in London, defeating Federer in the semifinals and Djokovic in the final.

At the 2020 US Open, Zverev reached his first Grand Slam final, advancing past Pablo Carreno Busta in the semifinals before finishing as runner-up to Dominic Thiem in a five-set final. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021, Zverev made history by becoming the first German man to win the Olympic singles gold medal, overcoming world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and defeating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-1 in the final. Later that year, he won his second ATP Finals championship in Turin by defeating Daniil Medvedev.

In June 2022, Zverev reached a career-high ranking of world No. 2. During his French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal that same month, he sustained a severe ankle injury that required surgery and sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He returned to competition in early 2023 and captured his hometown title in Hamburg later that year. In 2024, he won the Rome Masters, reached the French Open final against Carlos Alcaraz, claimed the Paris Masters title, and finished the year with 69 match wins, more than any other player on the tour.

Zverev is an aggressive baseliner whose game is built around powerful groundstrokes and a dominant serve. His two-handed backhand, executed with heavy pace and accuracy down the line and cross-court, is regarded as his strongest shot. He utilizes an aggressive first serve that routinely exceeds 200 km/h and can peak at 220 km/h, generating a high percentage of free points.

While his western-grip forehand was historically his less reliable groundstroke, it has developed into an effective offensive tool over his career. Zverev also incorporates a one-handed slice backhand to alter pace during long exchanges from the back of the court.