Beyond the Scoreline

Alexander Zverev has had a dream few weeks—the French Open title, a Wimbledon final against Jannik Sinner, a magnificent run of form by any measure.

But one image that I first noticed while watching the French Open final hasn’t left me.

During a changeover, Zverev takes out a pen and injects himself with insulin.

He’s lived with Type 1 diabetes since he was four. Diagnosed young, he spent years managing it quietly—taking his insulin during bathroom breaks so no one would notice. He only spoke about it publicly in 2022, and around that time started a foundation for children living with the same condition.

Being at the very top of your sport is hard enough. Doing it while managing a chronic condition, calmly, without any fuss—that’s a different level of hard.

I will remember that photo longer than I will remember the scoreline.

Respect, Alexander Zverev.