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No limits despite diabetes: Alexander Zverev is no longer afraid

A foundation and a commitment:Alexander Zverev suffers from diabetes himself and wants to help those affected. In the meantime, he has taken an important step on the way to his comeback.

by SID
last edit: Aug 07, 2022, 11:00 am

Reason for joy at Alexander Zverev
© Getty Images
Reason for joy at Alexander Zverev

It took courage, self-confidence and a forced break of weeks for Alexander Zverev to reveal his secret. "Until now, not many people knew that I had diabetes," said the tennis star: "I was always afraid that my opponents would feel stronger against me if they knew about my illness." Now he's not worried anymore. Today he feels "comfortable and safe enough" to go public.

The Olympic champion did that on Saturday not only with the confession that he himself suffered from the metabolic disease. At the same time, Zverev announced the establishment of a foundation to "show the world that you don't have to set any limits with this disease". And to help. "I want to make medicine and essential things like insulin available to different countries and areas of the world where unfortunately they don't have it," said Zverev on RTL / ntv.

Zverev as inspiration

And he wants to motivate. "I want to do events to show that you don't need any limits with diabetes," said the man from Hamburg. When he was young, he and his parents were often told that an endurance sport like tennis was almost impossible to do as a type 1 diabetic: "Now I'm number two in the world."

With your own experiences and your own story. This persuaded him to keep the illness secret for a number of years, although his diabetes on the tour could hardly be concealed. "I never felt comfortable with this disease myself because others made fun of me and my devices at school," said Zverev. In the meantime, with 19 tournament wins, Olympic gold and millions of euros in his pocket, his self-confidence is high enough. Today he dares to say "that I can be an example for other children".

Zverev returns to the pitch

An example of resilience, of fighting spirit. It is important, said Zverev, that children "have a sporting role model who has already achieved something". And that even pursues big dreams. A Grand Slam triumph is still above everything for Zverev, with this goal in mind he worked in rehab after tearing his ligaments several times and is now back on the court.

"I'm happy! First, how I played was very surprising after more than two months, and second, that I really don't have any pain," said Zverev after his first tennis session in Monte Carlo. He sustained the injury in the semifinals of the French Open in Paris in early June, and his return is getting closer. Already at the US Open at the end of the month?

The 25-year-old did not want to make a prognosis. It is "still too early" for that, said Zverev. At the Davis Cup in mid-September, however, he wanted to be “100 percent fit”. So far he has used his compulsory break constructively. Alexander Zverev is no longer afraid that his opponents will interpret his diabetes as a weakness.

by SID

Sunday
Aug 07, 2022, 02:45 pm
last edit: Aug 07, 2022, 11:00 am