Tennis Olympic champion Alexander Zverev has made his longstanding diabetes public. At the age of four, the native of Hamburg was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
“As a little boy I didn’t think about it much, later more and more. I want to show that you can make it very far with this disease,” said Zverev and at the same time gave the founding of his foundation “Alexander Zverev Foundation – Aufschlag against diabetes”.
“Now, many years later and also with the success behind me, I feel comfortable and confident enough to go public with this initiative,” said the native of Hamburg. He wants to be a role model for people who are already ill, but also a support for the children “who can still avoid getting diabetes with an active life and the right prevention”.
In addition to providing insulin and other essential medicines, his foundation finances projects for affected children and young people. “I’m in the privileged situation of leading a life that I’ve always wanted to lead. I always wanted to play tennis, travel to tournaments around the world and be one of the best tennis players in the world. I intend to succeed I owe everything to my parents and my brother, who have always supported me unconditionally on my way there and still do today,” said the 25-year-old, who is currently working on his comeback after suffering a severe ligament injury in rehab.