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via Imago

via Imago

German tennis icon Alexander Zverev has now reached the finals of the Hamburg Open, impressing fans and loved ones alike with a stellar performance on the court. Amid cheers from supporters, Zverev got a special message as he received support from his girlfriend Sophie Thomalla, who took to social media to express an unwavering belief in his abilities.

Zverev’s journey to the finals has been marked by dedication, resilience and the additional challenge of dealing with type 1 diabetes. Despite his adversity, Zverev continues to inspire with his unwavering determination. Zverev’s condition came under the spotlight at Roland Garros 2023, which further set a precedence.

Zverev roars into Hamburg Open finals, gets hyped up by girlfriend

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German tennis star Alexander Zverev has reached the final of the Hamburg Open, and his girlfriend Sophie Thomalla couldn’t be prouder. She expressed her support on Instagram Story with a heart emoji and encouraged him as he reached this milestone.

Alexander Zverev’s progress in the Hamburg European Open has been nothing short of extraordinary. His semi-final clash against Arthur Fils showcased his power-packed performance securing a convincing victory with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-4. This win came on the heels of an impressive quarterfinal triumph against top seed Casper Ruud, where Zverev displayed tactical brilliance and unwavering focus.

via Reuters

Reflecting on his strategy during the semi-final, Zverev stated, “I knew that me and Casper have very different gamestyles… I knew that I had to take the time away, I knew that I had to play a lot quicker and a lot flatter in a way. I did that well today, I feel like,” as cited by atptour.com.

This feat is a bigger deal than a regular player reaching the finals of a tournament as Zverev doesn’t just have to face the taxing regime of a sportsperson, but also commit to the same while dealing with diabetes.

Zverev’s courageous fight with Type 1 Diabetes

A lesser known story behind Zverev’s success is how he deals with his type 1 diabetes. He was diagnosed when he was only three years old. Balancing his tennis career with diabetes management has been a challenge. At the 2023 French Open, Zverev talked about how he struggles to time his insulin injections during matches. Sometimes, he had to use bathroom breaks to do so, but this wasn’t always easy due to conflicting instructions.

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Explaining the situation, he said, “I have only two bathroom breaks in a match, but sometimes I need to inject insulin four or five times during a best-of-five-match.”

ALSO READ: ‘I Would Never Have Said…’ – Alexander Zverev Opens Up On Rafael Nadal Comments That Didn’t Go Down Too Well With Nadal Fans

Despite the challenges, Zverev has been granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, which allows him to use insulin to manage his blood sugar levels. He sometimes administers his injections on court while changeovers. This precedence was set by Roland Garros after hearing about Zverev’s grievances.

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As Alexander Zverev heads into the final of the Hamburg Open, he carries not only the hopes of his home country but the love and encouragement of his girlfriend Sophie Thomalla. Zverev journey during adversity serves as proof of his resilience. Dealing with diabetes didn’t stop him from following his dreams and excelling in the sport he loves.

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