At French Open
Grandma Natalia supports Alexander Zverev
June 3, 2026 – 7:51 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Alexander Zverev is hoping for his first Grand Slam title in Paris. His grandmother also provides support.
The start was shaky, the end confident. Alexander Zverev prevailed in three sets against Spaniard Rafael Jódar on Tuesday. The top German favorite moved into the semi-finals of the French Open with 7:6, 6:1, 6:3. The 29-year-old’s grandmother was also there. Grandma Natalia watched the match on Court Philippe-Chatrier in Zverev’s box. She stood up from her seat several times and clapped enthusiastically at her grandson’s strong performance. “Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away some time ago. So we brought them to Europe,” said Zverev after the game.
“Little to do” at home in Sochi
“It was relatively difficult to get a visa,” the Tokyo Olympic champion continued: “It took longer because she still has a Russian passport.” But now grandma is “travelling a bit and enjoying life, enjoying her grandchildren and great-grandchildren”. In her native Sochi, his grandmother “has little to do,” Zverev said, so she tries “to be with us as much as possible.”
And so his grandmother also saw how her grandson, after initial difficulties, mastered the Jódar endurance test in an impressive way and booked the ticket for the semi-finals on the Seine for the fifth time in the past six years. “I had to find my rhythm first,” said Zverev. But when he finally got it, he “felt like it was a good game from my point of view.”
The Czech Jakub Menšík is waiting for him in the semi-finals on Friday. Menšík prevailed against the Portuguese Fonseca in three sets on Tuesday evening.