“Early on, I was told that competing at the highest level with diabetes was impossible — but my family and I refused to accept that,” Alexander Zverev once revealed, his voice carrying the weight of survival. The German, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes since age four, ignored doctors’ orders to abandon tennis and defied even his parents’ fears, choosing instead to fight with insulin by his side. Now 28, Zverev stands as both champion and role model, yet during Cincinnati, his visible struggles with diabetes were brushed aside, sparking outrage as a commentator came under fire for ignoring the lifelong battle that defines his every match.

Carlos Alcaraz powered past Alexander Zverev in the Cincinnati 2025 semifinals, sealing a 6-4, 6-3 win in one hour and 45 minutes to book a blockbuster final against Jannik Sinner, adding another fiery chapter to their rivalry. Zverev, undone by a late physical dip despite flashes of brilliance, could hardly be faulted. Yet, as the dust settled, the spotlight shifted off court, where commentary itself came under fire, with a former ITF player ripping into broadcasters’ lack of depth and knowledge.

During the fiery semifinal clash in Cincinnati, a different kind of storm erupted, not just on the court, but off it as well. Former ITF player and 63-year-old Stephanie Myles took to X to expose what she called a glaring knowledge gap in the broadcast booth. “It’s astonishing, at this stage, that the commentators have no conception that diabetics struggle in the heat a lot more than non-diabetics. The heat makes your blood sugar fluctuate like mad. They’re just, like, ‘he seems to be struggling again …’ 🙄” she wrote, her words sharp as steel.

Myles didn’t stop there. She highlighted how the commentary team continued to misread the signs, claiming, “They’re just assuming the heat is ‘getting to him’” before pointing out the disconnect in their coverage. She shared another snippet that underscored her frustration: “It’s hard to know just … WHAT is going on.” To her, it wasn’t just careless; it was a missed opportunity to educate the audience about a lifelong battle Zverev has been fighting.

Meanwhile, on court, Alexander Zverev’s fight against more than just Alcaraz became painfully visible. At one stage, just as he seemed to be gaining control of the match, the German called for medical staff, clearly unwell and possibly dizzy in the blistering Cincinnati heat. 

Despite managing to hold serve, his energy drained, and every rally became a mountain to climb. At 2-1 in the second set, Zverev left the court for a medical timeout, returning covered in ice packs, visibly compromised, and struggling to recover.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, looked untouched by the conditions, his focus steady and movement fluid. As minutes dragged, Zverev’s discomfort was written across his body language, an anxious desire to endure, to survive. Eventually, with dignity intact, he stretched out his hand to Alcaraz, conceding not just a match but also the limits of his body under brutal conditions.

Even after the battle, Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged the difficulty of competing against a rival who wasn’t at full strength. “It’s never easy playing against someone that you know is not feeling 100 per cent. It’s even tougher when it comes from Sascha, such a great player, such a great person off the court. We have a really good relationship,” he said, reflecting on the moment as much more than sport.

“We started the match really good, playing good rallies, a good level of tennis,” Alcaraz added. “But then all of a sudden he started to feel bad. And then my focus, I was thinking about how he’s feeling, besides focusing on myself and playing good tennis. It was a really difficult situation for me and I just wish him all the best.” 

For Zverev, the cruel twist was not new; Cincinnati’s heat had humbled him before, another reminder that for the German, every match is played with a battle far beyond the scoreline.

Alexander Zverev voices concern following mid-match medical timeout

Even before his clash with Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev had already revealed troubling signs about his health. Just a day earlier, the world No. 3 dismantled local favorite Ben Shelton in ruthless fashion, 6-2, 6-2, in only 77 minutes. Yet, beneath the scoreline lay concern. Despite a flawless first set, Zverev faltered early in the second, requiring a medical timeout after dizziness struck. Breathing issues followed, though with medical assistance, he steadied himself, pushed through, and sealed the victory.

After the match, however, Zverev’s words carried a somber weight. The German, who runs a foundation that provides life-saving insulin to developing countries, admitted he was still feeling far from right. “I’m not feeling too great right now. I have a day to get fresh and hopefully feel 100 per cent again,” he confessed, his voice stripped of certainty.

What followed was even more revealing. “We will see. I’m not sure what happened. I stepped onto the court today and felt the best in a few months,” Zverev said, recalling the strange contrast. “I was feeling the ball incredibly well from both sides. But I started feeling not so great at the end of the opening set, and things got progressively worse. I will do everything to be at my best tomorrow.”

That “tomorrow” was his date with Alcaraz. But the duel ended not in triumph, but in disappointment. Zverev, visibly compromised, bowed out of the Masters, leaving questions unanswered and concerns amplified.

Now, with the US Open looming, the great question remains: can Alexander Zverev finally conquer both his body and his demons to fulfill the Slam dream that has so long eluded him?