Alexander Zverev has secured his first Grand Slam titles at both Roland Garros and the US Open in 2026, marking a significant achievement for the German player. Previously regarded as one of the best players never to win a major title, Zverev’s successes have sparked discussions regarding the circumstances surrounding his victories. Critics have pointed out that these achievements came in the wake of injuries to rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
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Alcaraz was unable to compete in Roland Garros due to a wrist injury, and Sinner missed the US Open because of a knee injury, which allowed Zverev to capitalize on the situation.
Mischa Zverev, the player's brother, defended him against allegations that his victories were undeserved, suggesting that the injuries to Alcaraz and Sinner highlight a lack of physical resilience. In an interview with Sport1, he remarked, "Why weren’t they there? Because they were injured. Why do we get injured? Because, in some way, you’re not strong enough, or because you’ve done too much."
Zverev also spoke about his brother’s impressive return from injury in the 2023 season, noting that many had believed he would never regain his former level of play. "Some people said he would never return to the level he had before. And instead, he came back and played like this," he said.
Additionally, Zverev addressed criticism regarding his brother’s ball-bouncing routine at the US Open, comparing it to the trivial nature of complaints made about winning players. "When someone wins and succeeds, there will always be someone saying: 'Personally, I don’t like this or that,'" he joked.
Following his Grand Slam success, Zverev returned to action at the Davis Cup, where he achieved straight-set victories over Matej Dodig and Dino Prizmic, aiding Germany's win over Croatia. He will next participate in the Laver Cup with Team Europe, alongside players such as Alcaraz and Casper Ruud.
Team Europe, coached by Yannick Noah and Tim Henman, will compete against Team World, which features Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur. Zverev is also preparing for the ATP Tour’s upcoming Asian swing, beginning with an ATP 500 event at the China Open in Beijing. With a strong possibility of reaching world No. 1, Zverev’s performance in the latter part of the 2026 season could prove equally successful.