Star German tennis player Alexander Zverev was seen taking an insulin shot mid-match during his French Open final clash against Flavio Cobolli, having suffered from Type 1 diabetes since childhood.
Zverev’s rise has come amidst relentless challenges: managing diabetes, recovering from a serious ankle injury and facing off-court allegations that made global headlines.
The court case was dropped in 2024 after a settlement was agreed hours before he was due to play in the French Open semi-finals.
On Sunday, June 7, Zverev was seen taking an insulin shot, pictures of which have gone viral on social media.
Alexander Zverev had to give himself an insulin shot during the French Open Final.
Zverev is Type 1 diabetic. pic.twitter.com/6mPnrBM8xC
— Yahoo Sports
(@YahooSports) June 7, 2026
Diagnosed with diabetes at four, Zverev founded the Alexander Zverev Foundation in 2022 to support children with the condition and provide medication in developing nations.
An avid football and basketball fan, Zverev’s older brother Mischa also played on the ATP Tour.
Zverev views his condition as a constant ‘second game’ alongside tennis, managing blood sugar levels and taking on-court insulin when needed.
Zverev carries a specialised kit bag containing insulin pens, which he is allowed to use under a Therapeutic Use Exemption granted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency.
But Zverev encountered a significant challenge at the 2023 French Open when a match official prevented him from administering an insulin injection on court.
After criticism from the diabetes community, tournament officials later clarified that players with diabetes are permitted to administer insulin on court or during designated breaks in play.
Zverev spent the early part of his career keeping his diabetes private, fearing the stigma and widespread misconception that living with the condition was incompatible with competing at the highest level of professional sport.
Legendary American tennis great Arthur Ashe, a Grand Slam champion at Wimbledon and the US Open, lived with Type 2 diabetes during the later stages of his life and career.
