Alexander Zverev enters the Wimbledon final with more than a title on the line. The German star is also using the biggest stage in tennis to draw attention to Type 1 diabetes and the realities of managing it during competition.
Zverev, who won the French Open and is seeking back-to-back Grand Slam titles, has been open about the condition since revealing in 2022 that he was diagnosed at age 4. He now uses a glucose sensor and insulin pen when needed, and has permission from Grand Slam tournaments to check his blood sugar on court with his phone.
Managing diabetes in the middle of a match
During matches, Zverev may need to inject insulin into the top of his thigh during changeovers. He previously kept those injections private, often waiting for bathroom breaks before making them.
His foundation was launched alongside his public disclosure, with a focus on helping children and parents better understand the disease. After an early-round win at Wimbledon, Zverev said that if his story can help even one child or one parent, that would matter most to him.
A sensor mistake that changed a match
At a warmup event in Halle, Germany, Zverev said his glucose sensor gave him an incorrect reading in a semifinal against Taylor Fritz. Because it falsely showed high levels, he accidentally injected too much insulin and then had to consume 350 grams of sugar through glucose gels in the first hour of the match.
He said he felt “awful” and lost in three sets. Speaking before Wimbledon, he said the company that makes the sensor was investigating the problem and noted that he had used the device for more than 10 years without a similar issue.
| Topic | Detail | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 diabetes diagnosis | Diagnosed at age 4 | Shows how early Zverev has lived with the condition |
| Match-day management | Uses a glucose sensor, insulin pen, and phone access during matches | Lets him monitor blood sugar without finger-prick tests |
| Halle semifinal issue | False sensor reading led to too much insulin and 350 grams of sugar intake | Shows the risk of relying on faulty readings |
Why his visibility matters
Zverev said the sensor systems remain “very, very useful” and make life easier for people with diabetes, even after his own problem in Halle. He added that the experience was unfortunate, but that such tools still help millions of diabetes patients.
His profile adds to a growing list of elite athletes living with Type 1 diabetes, including NHL Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke, NHL player Max Domi, Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, and Olympic champion swimmer Gary Hall Jr.
That visibility has spread beyond sports, too. Mattel introduced its first Barbie representing a person with Type 1 diabetes, complete with a continuous glucose monitor on her arm and a phone showing the matching app.
Type 1 diabetes was once called juvenile diabetes because it often appears in children and teenagers, and the International Diabetes Federation estimates that 9.2 million people have it. The CDC says the condition means the pancreas makes little or no insulin, which is needed to help blood sugar enter the body’s cells for energy.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
