Zverev pays tribute to mother’s support after US Open triumph

Alexander Zverev won his second Grand Slam title after beating Ben Shelton at the 2026 US Open men’s singles final. | Photo Credit: AP

Alexander Zverev paid tribute to his mother after winning the US Open 2026 men’s singles title on Sunday, thanking her for not letting juveline diabetes decide his future in sport.

The top seed beat American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, ​6-2 at Flushing Meadows to win his second Grand Slam title of the year.

Zverev ended the long wait for a win at the four major tournaments at the French Open this year, beating Flavio Cobolli in five sets.

“When your four-year-old son is diagnosed ‌with diabetes and doctors in the office tell you that life and sports will be very limited for that child, it takes a very strong mother to say ‘my son will be whatever he wants to be’,” Zverev said.

“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.

“I’m happy that we ⁠worked through it, and we’re doing things that we’re doing right now. My mother is the most important and strongest person I know because it takes an unbelievably ‌strong woman to do what she did.”

Proof that hard work pays off 👏 pic.twitter.com/NpYUww8X0H

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 14, 2026

He also thanked his coaching team which includes his father and brother Mischa.

“We went almost 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now we’ve won two in a span of three months,” he said.

“I think God has seen how hard we’ve worked, how much ‌we’ve suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of ​all the years that happened before. Thank you, you are absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be here without you.”