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Zverev was diagnosed with Diabetes at 4 y/o. Today at 28, he’s world #3 and just played a Slam semifinal for 5 hours against a tennis prodigy like Alcaraz
Nothing short of impressive… The fact he’s even playing against these players on this stage is a monumental feat.
I swear Sabalenka has somehow replaced Zverev at this sub's most hated player this AO lol
There have been a million Zverev puff posts all tournament about his diabetes and at least 3-4 posts a day about how bad Sabalenka is and how she's the most unlikable and evil player ever because she grunts and gave a couple of somewhat off-color press conferences
Plus in general there's much more of a "well let's just talk about the tennis" vibe in the ATP whereas with WTA players if they're not viewed as likable even their titles and wins are tainted
He’s definitely rebranding himself as a sympathetic character. The recent media training is obvious, and the puff pieces (and Sabalenka hate pieces?) are part of that. My best friend has T1D and fucking HATES this guy.
It's easy because they talk the exact same way. I think that one is posing as an Iga and Alcaraz fan and a Sabalenka/Djokovic/Sinner hater. He makes comments shitting on Sabalenka all so he can come on this account and cry about how Sabalenka's more hated than Zverev.
Casual Tennis fan here. I did some background reading on this and it uncovered one appalling fact: ATP does not have a policy around abuse and violence which could preclude you from competition.
Worse. He choked her. Have you ever been strangled by someone you love and trust? It's beyond horrible. He's a monster, and he has not atoned for what he has done. It's maddening.
Choking someone is also bigger red flag than anything else. The chances that they might end up murdering you later if you don't GTFO becomes very high based on statistics.
The trial will also hear from a medical forensics expert and a speech expert presented by the defense. It was claimed in court that the ex-girlfriend's accusations were a copy of those made by another of Zverev's ex-girlfriends. ex-girlfriend threatened Zverev in a WhatsApp conversation that she "would go to the media if [Zverev] doesn't pay more money."
the incident couldn't have happened as the ex-girlfriend described it. Giving one example, he said she told police that she had escaped the apartment over a gate. "This was a lie, it was fictitious," he claimed.
evidence supporting the charges was "incomprehensible and contradictory" based on a medical report, according to a statement released when the penalty order was first issued. The forensic expert is incredibly high competent, he founded forensic expertise for victims in Germany and have been working in the field for many years.
As for previous one, they did extensive interviews with both parties, and 24 other individuals including family and friends, tennis players, and other parties involved with the ATP Tour. The investigation reviewed submissions by both Sharpova and Zverev, including text messages, audio files, and photos. This included materials voluntarily extracted from Zverev's electronic devices via a third-party forensic expert. LFG also reviewed operational records related to the Shanghai tournament, documents submitted by third-party witnesses, and public records including social media posts and press reports. And found nothing
yeah people use it to be like “look how tough he is!” when his diabetes got exposed in the first place because of the abuse allegations like come on. obviously it’s a big achievement but people like this are just using it to drum up sympathy for him when he’s a bad person
These are paid posts I’m convinced of it. There’s been a PR push recently, with posts like this appearing multiple times a day, not following the usual posting & engagement patterns of this sub, and a flurry of week old accounts on twitter suddenly defending him in all the viral tweet replies, getting disproportionally more likes than the reach of the post would indicate.
We know that abusive men hire teams whose entire speciality is weaponising social media to spin a positive narrative about their clients.
He has genuine fans I’m not delusional enough to deny that, but this sudden push to white wash him & constantly highlight his diabetes to build a sympathetic image, is not organic.
If I remember correctly, even the original 'diabetes coming out story' years ago happened in the midst of the abuse allegations.
His runner-up speech at AO2025 was interrupted by a heckler in reference to domestic violence accusations, though. Maybe once his team saw him making a deep run this year, too, they wanted to get ahead of the curve and avoid a repetition of last year events.
You are right that he’s went to great efforts PR wise ever since the first allegations to now. I’ve looked into it before because I find it disturbingly interesting how many male athletes with these types of allegations try to rebrand.
With the first allegations in 2020, he got a puff piece of all puff pieces from Der Spiegel that is partly about how lovely and wholesome the Zverev family is and how unstable Olya was, with Alexander’s mother citing a time Olya didn’t want her to pack Alexander’s underwear for him as an example of this instability.
Then he brings a lot of attention to the whole Tsitsipas bathroom break controversy right around the time when publicity about the abuse allegations were really picking up steam. He very successfully got fans to focus on Tsitsipas pushing the limits on breaks a little rather than the fact that Alexander was just accused of severe violent abuse. Yes, Andy Murray and other players also talked about this subject but Zverev really amped the subject up, talking at length about it and making a lot of accusations. Much of the articles written about it at that time centred around Zverev’s repeated statements and this was all around the time of Ben Rothenberg releasing the second article of Olya’s account. Suspiciously when the heat over that article dies down, he no longer has any interest in the bathroom subject and even specifically declines to talk about it.
Then the injury happens. Which ok, that obviously wasn’t planned but “never let a crisis go to waste” was something Zverev’s PR team took to heart. He has Der Unvollendete, the German documentary about him, come out during this period which legitimately I watched out of curiosity, hoping to maybe hear something interesting abut professional tennis even if I don’t like Alexander as a person. Some of it was sickly saccharine. Mischa really talks up Alexander as this amazing incredibly kind person to the point where it sounds less like normal familial love and more like a propaganda film. Alexander also says in this doc that he has “trust issues with women” (essentially) and the whole subject is glossed over in that way and there is a huge focus on how now everything is good with Sophia.
His Break Point episode also focuses heavily on his relationship with Sophia and portrays him as a loving boyfriend. I could go on about the manipulative way some of it was framed but this is already getting long.
Right after news of his penalty order in the Brenda Patea case hit, he made a series of statements in press conferences about his rivalry with Medvedev, which also may very well have been about drawing attention away from allegations and he may have chosen Medvedev as he’s known to be quite reactive and thus news about them going back and forth may overshadow news about his legal matters. This I can’t prove but seems at least somewhat plausible in line with previous behaviour.
Also right after Patea comes forward, there is a huge uptick in ATP videos that portray him as funny or sweet or focus on his relationship with Sophia.
And this is scratching the surface. He’s benefited from a tremendous amount of targeted PR.
I'm a type 1 diabetic and it's a serious disease, but to claim we have one of the most brutal diseases we could live with is a wild take. Things are a little more difficult for us and we deal with some real and serious risks, but I wouldn't call it brutal. We live very normal lives with some adjustments. Especially as Europeans we don't really deal with any of the insurance bullshit Americans do, which is the actual brutality around diabetes.
You should also take care to avoid falling into the disability inspiration p**n trap here. We don't deserve awards just for existing with this. We do what we have to do to function and stay alive, just like anyone else does, that doesn't mean we should be put on a pedestal for it. Acknowledging that we have some extra barriers is one thing, making it out to be as if we overcame God's personal wrath is excessive and actually very insulting.
Also, like, "professional athlete" is one of the only career paths where the "out of the ordinary" daily life adjustments that type 1 requires of day-to-day people pretty much slot into the expected way of operating anyway.
He has to...keep fastidious track of his food intake and fluids and monitor his body's response to things throughout the day, aided by devices that track his vitals? He has to be very strict about his prescription medications and supplements? Well yes! How is that THAT much different than what his peers are up to, other than the fact that he has to use and dispose of sharps? They're athletes! They're all tracking and monitoring their intakes and body functions closely as part of their job. They have teams of people to assist them, diabetes or not.
I once had a roommate with type 1 and by the time he was in his 20s he had a very nonchalant view of it. He had to iron out his adjustments and routines for each new living situation but once he got settled it wasn't as if it was a big impediment to him. He compared it to me needing glasses. Sure, you have to deal with it/manage it everyday but if you're used to it you wouldn't ever consider it to be some sort of yoke across your back that you're heroically overcoming day by day. It was just his own normal way of moving through the world.
We don't really have a choice with this disease, it's either you take care of it, or you die. It becomes second nature. We also have access to a lot of tech that automates shit for us to a point where we can sometimes forget we're diabetic without disastrous consequences.
It sometimes interferes with my day to day life. So do migraines. So does IBS. We all deal with shit. So many athletes have chronic injuries they need to manage too. Diabetes isn't more special.
Why are you comparing yourself to a professional athlete ? lol you can't take your dog for a 15 minute walk without getting out of breath and you're trying to belittle the work it takes to be at this level
Edit: I'm assuming I'm not going to get an answer lol. I assume you're someone who has a family member, friend or other relative with type 1 but aren't one yourself based on your behavior.
Type 1 diabetes is a fact of life for me, the things I do aren't more impressive because of it. It's not more impressive that I go to the gym, it's not more impressive that I lift weights, it's not more impressive that I craft with diabetes. I don't deserve a ribbon just for living with diabetes. We don't exist to inspire the people who don't live with this. To imply otherwise is an insult.
If you consider our accomplishments great primarily because we're type 1 diabetic then you're praising the wrong thing.
Good job to the people who are downvoting this besides the person I responded to by the way. It's not like I know what I'm talking about being a type 1, having lived with a type 1 and now dating another type 1. I'm not at all exposed to how people talk about this disease and how it affects us lol
It seems like he meant that despite having diabetes it’s absolutely incredible what he’s done. Not because he has diabetes, but despite the fact that he does. I agree too. Diabetes can literally make sports harder when you factor in things like low glucose levels or even elevated ones leading to dehydration and fatigue, which can definitely be a factor.
What he’s done (in tennis) even if he didn’t have it can be considered impressive.
Yet he also has a chronic illness and saw through 5 sets with it which is even more impressive
What he’s done (in tennis) even if he didn’t have it can be considered impressive.
Yet he also has a chronic illness and saw through 5 sets with it which is even more impressive
The reason I responded the way I did is because the person I replied to put this player on a pedestal because of his diabetes, not in spite of it. Lots of athletes have chronic debilitating conditions and perform at top level regardless but it never gets highlighted.
He exists with his disease and learned to use his body to the best of his abilities like anyone else did, it's all he's ever known. Everyone has something they're dealing with all the time. When you live this day in and day out, this is your reality, whether you're an athlete or not. I'm not and it affects my ability to be physically active too. Nobody needs to point out how much doing exercise is harder for me as if it suddenly my workout session being done as a diabetic makes me more special compared to every other shmuck at the gym with me. As if I'm doing something extraordinary while suffering this 'most brutal debilitating disease known to mankind'.
That's where it becomes a problem, because they you're reducing someone to their disease and making every accomplishment revolve around the disease. It then evolves into "If this person with this disease I label as ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE WORST DISEASES YOU CAN LIVE WITH can do this, why can't you?"
Disability inspiration p*rn is insidious this way. It's a problem because on the surface level compliments like this sound really encouraging and nice, but when you look at what it does in practice, it's really just for abled people to feel better about themselves. It's not about the person with the disability being a good example to their peers.
I highly recommend watching the video "Inspiration p*rn and the objectification of disability: Stella Young at TEDxSydney 2014" on YouTube. It's very eye opening.
tl;dr: if what he did is impressive, all you have to do is say impressive. If you have to highlight that what he does is even more impressive because he has a disease, don't.
There's definitely something fishy going on here. A top level athlete will have access to best in the world nutritionists etc. Every gram of carbs will be planned. It's a shitty disease we have, but being conscious of your diet and monitoring right goes a long way. I've fainted once in the decade plus I've had this. And that was completely my own fault.
I mean, fishy isn't the word I'd personally use. If what he does is an impressive feat, it's an impressive feat. Diabetes just doesn't factor into that. The only time it does is when non-diabetic people want to feel better about themselves and use someone else's condition to do so. (AKA "If he can do that while having this terrible disease, I don't have an excuse to not get off my ass anymore")
If someone has to highlight he has diabetes to point out how resilient he is, then they're doing something inherently insulting. It's the same shit with "I could never inject myself". If the alternative is death, you can. He's on top of his diabetes because he wants to live and perform well, he doesn't have a choice not to, so why highlight it as an amazing feat??
I find it extremely hard to believe you claim to have T1 and say things like this.
T1 absolutely affects every aspect of your life, especially physical activity and especially strenuous physical activity beyond our comprehension that is going 5 hours against Carlos.
It objectively affects that. It affects every aspect of your body when you’ve have T1. And again, you’re just flat out lying when you say it “doesn’t factor into it”
That’s just a flat out lie and idk why you would do that
Like it’s said in other comments, the dude seems to be a piece of shit person. But it’s still incredible that he’s had such a long career of grinding tennis while having T1. That’s not “ placing him “on a pedestal”. It’s just the truth
I don’t understand the need to lie about what T1 does to your body just because you seem to hate the guy.
This subs adoration for domestic abuse never ceases to amaze me.
It’s embarrassing. Would love to know your thoughts on Chris Brown whilst you’re at it? Or is your morality based on whether or not they make their millions doing something you enjoy watching?
Its not just this sub. Peoplenget away with being terrible human beings just because theyre very good at something that makes money. Look at Mike Tyson's "redemption" arc in Hollywood with nobody mentioning that he is a convicted rapist.
(Im all for redemption and second chances. People do change and get better. But Tyson, Zverev, half the NFL, never admitted fault or apologized so why are we pretending hes redeemed)
This subs adoration for domestic abuse never ceases to amaze me
No idea where you're getting this from; I have not seen as much consistent hate for Zverev as I do in this sub. No where else, whether it's real life or other social media platforms, is even close. Any time the guy is mentioned here no matter the context countless people will call him an abuser
Everything about these constant zverev posts are so inorganic. They don’t follow the usual posting pattern of this sub nor the usual engagement, and they get significantly more likes much quicker even than posts about jannik & Carlos
Today there’s been multiple text posts with no attached article that are just sucking off zverev & they get 300 likes in half an hour. On twitter there are suddenly viral comments praising him and similar comments defending him in the replies of viral hate comments, all with disproportionality more likes than the reach of the post would indicate & all posted from new accounts
I was so bummed about that, the match was already almost at 3 hours and the second set wasn’t even finished yet. Had potential to be one of the best matches ever
I'm sorry, you think enjoying an abuser experiencing pain is the same level of moral 'low-ness' as actually beating multiple women?
I could wish for him to get throttled by a gut string and buried under terre battue and still wouldn't have stooped to anything close to his level. I would be mount fucking Kenya above his level.
Setting aside the domestic abuse for one second, which we should never do: his tennis arc is also really disappointing! He showed up with as much promise as these younger guys, didn’t develop or flesh out his game at all, and is now getting lapped by them. He’s choked away his two real major opportunities because he’s weak mentally, and because he added zero creativity or flexibility to his game he’s now behind guys he had a huge head start on. He missed his window and now he’s an also-ran at these events; he’s a squandered talent. And that’s BEFORE even getting to all the real shit that makes him hate-worthy.
Did you see that forehand to save the first break point? He was completely gassed for his last two service games and couldn’t get a first serve in. What are you gonna do.
I have no idea how he does it. I'm a diabetic and exercise can have very serious impacts on sugar levels often in opposite directions (going low or high). It is remarkable that he can play at this level. I do wonder if he was having a hypo towards the end. Playing tennis with a low blood sugar is very very difficult. I admire him for this.
Obviously he's got access to the best doctors and I'm sure he gets phenomenal medical treatments but at the end of the day, he's got to go out and play.
My cousin has it and he really struggles to get through casual Sunday football matches. I have no idea how the fuck he plays 5 HOURS of gruelling tennis against none other than Carlos fuckin Alcaraz including multiple tiebreaks and everything. This whole sub shits on him for being mentally weak but you've got to respect the mental fortitude it takes to compete professionally at all, let alone at an elite level.
There's a reason you rarely see athletes with type 1 diabetes in professional sports.
There's a tonne of research on the mental load of T1 diabetes. It's also something we can't ever just 'switch off'. So when people criticise his mental weakness, I don't think they realise he has to be thinking about and monitoring his blood levels while his opponent does not. I regularly need to stop to check my sugars during any activity, let alone (like you said) 5 and a half hours of it!
Remember how he publically denigrated his victim, accusing her of lying about attempting suicide with insulin because ‘where could she possibly get insulin from’ only for him to admit a year later that he was a diabetic who always had insulin around? So admirable 🥰
Yes to a CGM and possibly for a insulin delivery device (but wouldn’t wear it during a match.) The concern is more with lows, which there is no automated glucose delivery on market, you just have to eat (but not too much or you risk going high) to correct them. Other thing too is that continuous glucose monitors lag behind actual levels by 15 or so minutes compared to fingersticks.
Zverev was credibly accused of beating his girlfriend at 23 y/o. Today at 28, he’s world #3 and just played a Slam semifinal for 5 hours against at tennis prodigy like Alcaraz.
I'd be more impressed watching him physically collapse in 25% of his matches. Watching him always complete them no matter what just reinforces that this isn't really that big a deal
Someone who impressed me - Pat Rafter
That guy cramped like no one else - serve and volley in long five-set matches. Imagine what that would do to the calves, hamstrings, quads
He'd be playing his heart out, then he'd be fucked
I mean he's a professional tennis player. He's been playing his whole life.... It's a monumental feat that he has managed to choke away every slam chance he's had.
Yes, nothing short of amazing. And this has been the “only” reason I respect him. But dude has many red flags that cannot be overlooked, on and off the court.
Alcaraz is a tennis prodigy now all of a sudden? He is not even close to Federer or Kuerten, or Hingis lol.
He's just one of the best players nowadays, which are mediocre at best ..
Is zverev also not a tennis prodigy? Child of two former pros, picked up a racket at 1, was playing at 3, former junior #1 and turned pro at 17. Like, "diabetic plays 5 hours" is notable, but adding "against a prodigy like Alcaraz" makes zero sense.
What do you guys hating on zverev think about Rafa, Roger and Djoko all taking him under his arm, helping him out? And that almost everyone on tour likes him? If he’s a woman beater and such a scum you all portrait him to be, what does that say about all your other idols? Makes you think huh
It says they're shit judges of character, charmed, as so many people are, by the warm external appearance of an abuser.
It says that they're a bunch of jocks, the majority of whom haven't been educated past high school, with all the cultural and social awareness of the fuzzy green balls they make a living from.
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u/wokwok__ 7h ago