Alexander Zverev honours mother after US Open win, credits her in his diabetes battle

Alexander Zverev's US Open triumph was about more than finally winning the Grand Slam title that had eluded him for years. Moments after defeating Ben Shelton in the final, the German delivered an emotional tribute to his mother, Irina, and the role she played in helping him pursue his tennis dreams despite his battle with diabetes.

Zverev beat Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium to claim his maiden US Open title and his second Grand Slam crown of the year. During his victory speech, he singled out his mother as the most important person in his tennis life and recalled how she supported him after he was diagnosed with diabetes as a four-year-old.

“I want to thank one more person who’s never actually watching my matches but is the most important person in my tennis life and in my life in general,” Zverev said.

“When your 4-year-old son gets diagnosed with diabetes, and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very, very limited for that child, it takes a very, very strong mother to walk out of those offices and say, ‘My son will be wherever he wants to be.’”For every kid who was told “you can’t.” pic.twitter.com/N5pZamAb88— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 13, 2026

“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.”

Zverev then described his mother as “the most important and strongest person I know”, adding: “It takes an unbelievably strong woman to do what she did.”FROM CHILDHOOD DIAGNOSIS TO US OPEN JOY

Zverev was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of four. He kept his condition private for many years before publicly revealing it in 2022. He subsequently launched the Alexander Zverev Foundation, which aims to support children with diabetes and help improve access to insulin and medication.

His mother's belief became a central part of Zverev's journey, particularly after doctors warned his family that diabetes could place limitations on his life and sporting ambitions.

The 2026 season has now delivered two major milestones for Zverev. He won his maiden Grand Slam at the French Open earlier this year before completing his collection of major breakthroughs with his first US Open title.

The victory also carried extra significance after his heartbreak in New York in 2020, when he surrendered a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem in the final.

This time, Zverev held his nerve to lift the trophy. And when the celebrations began, he made sure to remember the person who had never allowed his illness to define what he could achieve.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 05:11 IST