Zverev’s brother takes a dig at Jannik Sinner: “Where were you?”

Mischa Zverev, Alexander Zverev’s brother, has fiercely defended Sascha’s achievements during this fairy-tale 2026 season: After years of frustration, the German tennis player won two Grand Slam tournaments—the French Open and the U.S. Open—finally breaking the curse. However, several industry insiders have downplayed the significance of the world No. 2’s triumphs, pointing to the absences and poor physical condition of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in both Paris and New York.

Mischa Zverev strongly disagrees with these comments and, in an interview with Sport1, proudly defended his brother’s achievements: “Where were they? Why weren’t they there? Because they were injured. Why do they get injured? Because, in some way, they aren’t strong enough, or because they pushed themselves too hard, or because they don’t rest when they need to.”

“Some people said he’d never return to the level he was at before. But he came back and played at his usual level. The opportunity was there, and he worked to make it happen,” Mischa continued.

Many have criticized Zverev for the time he takes to serve, letting the ball bounce multiple times on the court: “It’s like when you win a Grand Slam tournament and someone complains about the color of your socks. When someone wins and is successful, there will always be someone who says, ‘Personally, I don’t like this or that…’.”