Alexander Zverev is already one of the most successful German tennis professionals. At just 24 years of age, the Hamburg-born player has all the qualifications needed to reach the very top of the tennis world. But what makes “Sascha” tick?
- Alexander Zverev seems to have found his great love. But it’s not for a woman, but for his dog Lövik. The family poodle sometimes accompanies the tennis star on his trips to the court. But that’s not all. Lövik even has his own profiles on Facebook and Instagram. And the other dogs of the Zverev family are also represented on the social network with their own channels.
- The Hamburg-born player’s parents come from Russia. Zverev’s brother Mischa was even born in Moscow in 1987, the family only emigrated in 1991. The entire family was and is successful on the court. Father Zverev was a professional tennis player and played for the Soviet Union from 1979. Mother Irina made it to No. 380 in the world rankings as a tennis player. Together with his brother, Alexander Zverev has even played doubles in professional tournaments.
- Zverev is also called “Sascha” by family and friends. The supposed nickname is derived from his middle name. In Russia, it is customary for a child to receive a patronymic, i.e. a name derived from the father’s first name, in addition to the actual first name. Since Zverev and his father have the same first name, the tennis pro is called Sascha. This is the cose form of the name. Another nickname, which he has also heard from colleagues, is “Asparagus”, in German “Spargel”. This refers to his tall, slender figure.
- Although he himself comes from the north of Germany, Zverev’s heart beats for FC Bayern Munich, the “greatest club in the world” in his opinion. He has often shown up for training sessions in Bayern kit and also revealed that his first jersey was one of the Munich team. And which player’s name did he wear on his back? That of club legend Oliver Kahn.
- Tennis and football are not the only ball sports “Sascha” is passionate about. His heart also beats for basketball and especially for the NBA team Miami Heat.
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The Hamburg native did not go to school in the Hanseatic city, but in Mannheim. The Kurpfalz Gymnasium there is one of the few teaching institutions in Germany with a competitive sports branch, which thus also allowed for longer absences. However, Zverev did not take his Abitur here. For his professional career, he ended his school career after the tenth grade.
- Alexander Zverev already knows how to combine and strategise on the court. In his other great passion, visiting Escape Rooms, he adds puzzling to the mix. No matter where he is in the world, he visits the puzzle rooms, as he has already told us several times. And he does not puzzle alone. Professional buddies, teammates or even his brother keep him company during the “escape attempt”.