Two years ago, Alexander Zverev lay on the clay court in Paris, with the biggest fear in mind. A devastating injury not only shattered his GS dream but also left his career hanging by a thread. It sends him out of the ATP top 20, too. While his comeback thought cast a big doubt, Sascha refused to fade. Instead, he returned with full glory, reaching the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells and the Canadian Open, the semifinals of the Miami Open, ATP Tour, and Cincinnati Masters, and the finals of the German Open.

He also clawed his way back with two ATP 1000 titles (Rome and Paris Masters), finishing as a Grand Slam finalist at the 2025 Melbourne Slam. Now that he has regained his ATP No. 2 position, his father recalls his struggles with his take on the support he received.

For Zverev, the injury might be two years old, but it still haunts him. However, things gradually progressed over time and his team and family did an extraordinary job in his recovery. Reflecting on that mental turmoil and support, Zverev’s father revealed, “It was a very difficult moment here for Sascha as well without exception. It was a very difficult period but when it happened, we just switched our focus from the usual attention to tennis, to what was necessary for the recovery. Every day we would do everything that the doctors said and tried to do everything right.” His words highlighted the depth of his son’s struggle, a moment that cast doubt on his future. But what happened to him?

It was Zverev’s semifinal clash against Rafael Nadal in the French Open. The German ATP star rolled his right ankle on the side, just at the beginning of their second tiebreaker. “I knew immediately that I was done because my ankle was basically three times the size it normally is,” he said. The injury cost him a lot, pushing him outside the top 20 rank and leaving him off the court for the rest of the year.

Not just the physical toll, the injury impacted the German’s spirit. When asked about the low points during recovery, Zverev said, “Definitely, I think there were a few of them. But the one was really when I thought I was healthy and when I thought I could come back in the Davis Cup.”

Zverev’s father also reflected on this challenging time and said, “Of course after such injuries to play again in full force and not think about the possibility of getting injured again is not easy, but he did everything well and the result he showed in Paris exactly one year later.”

He returned to the court after the injury looking to get his mojo. He certainly did. Although winning a Grand Slam could be the perfect cherry on the cake, Zverev’s itching closer to his goals. Reaching the finals of some of the recent Grand Slams shows that Zverev’s recovery proved the power of the family’s unwavering support. It gave a peek into the relationship dynamics of the Zverev family.

Alexander Zverev stresses the support from “family” after returning to the court

Last year, when he reached the US Open quarterfinals, he shared insights about his relationship with his father. “Off the court, I don’t spend much time with my father, so that is a starting point. We have enough of each other on the court,” said the German Tennis player.

“We are all adults, we all have a family. We all know how having a family works. I like it because the family is always close by, maybe that way you don’t miss home as much. I think it depends on how your relationship is on and off the court,” cited Zverev.

Zverev’s initial comeback wasn’t as good as expected. However, at that depressing phase, Zverev had his family’s support. “There was full support from the family, and we always told him that everything will be fine and it is necessary to recover and continue to play tennis, and that’s what happened,” mentioned his father. Seven months later, he started playing tennis. Yet, something was missing, but he quickly found the keys to the lock.

His father, brother, and mother coach Zverev became integral to his journey. Before turning pro, his mother, Irina Zverev, a professional player coached Zverev. His brother Mischa Zverev, part of Zverev’s coaching team earlier, motivated him before the AO finals. Predicting about his baby brother, Mischa Zverev wrote, “On Sunday you will lift finally a GS.” 

Although the dream didn’t become a reality, it surely expressed what Mischa Zverev thought of his brother’s potential. Leaving injury woes behind, Alexander Zverev gears up for his quarterfinal clash against Cerundolo tomorrow. Do you think he can compensate for his AO heartbreak with a title in Argentina? Share with us.