"This illness will not control our lives"—Zverev remembers his mother after winning the US Open.

After winning the US Open, Alexander Zverev repeatedly spoke about his family and his mother. In particular, even after he was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes in childhood, his mother, Irina, never let the illness confine him or limit his horizons. For the German tennis star, that unwavering belief from his mother served as his greatest inspiration.

On Sunday at Flushing Meadows in New York, top-seeded Zverev clinched the US Open title by defeating American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2. This marks his second Grand Slam title of the year.

Zverev, who once frequently stumbled at the final hurdles of Grand Slams, is now a two-time Grand Slam champion—with both titles secured in the same year.

The 29-year-old Zverev has become the fourth player in the Open Era to win his first two career Grand Slam titles in the same year. He joins the ranks of Jimmy Connors (1974), Guillermo Vilas (1977), and Jannik Sinner (2024), who previously achieved this feat.

However, despite such success, Zverev did not wish to take sole credit. While expressing gratitude to his family and team members, he made special mention of his mother, Irina.

Zverev was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes when he was just four years old. At the time, doctors feared the condition would limit his life and his future in sports. But his mother held a completely different perspective regarding her son.

Zverev said, "When your four-year-old son is diagnosed with diabetes and doctors say his life and sporting opportunities will be severely limited, a mother needs immense mental strength to say, 'My son will become whatever he wants to be.'"

He also recalled his mother's resolve: "Mom declared right then that if he wanted to be a tennis player, he would be a tennis player. If he wanted to do something else, he would do that." "But this illness will not control our lives."

Zverev believes it was that very belief held by his mother that helped him reach where he is today. That is why he became emotional while speaking about her after winning the title.

"I am happy that we have traversed this path together and reached the place where we are now. My mother is the most important and strongest person in my life. To do what she has done, one has to be an incredibly strong woman."

The German star also acknowledged the contribution of his team to this title victory. Key members of his team include his father—former tennis player Alexander Zverev Sr.—and his brother, Mischa Zverev.

Zverev said, "We had been waiting for a Grand Slam title for nearly 30 years. Now, we have won two in the span of three months."

He also reflected on the long wait and the struggles involved. In his view, this success is the culmination of years of hard work, disappointment, and hardship.

"God perhaps saw how hard we worked, the hardships we endured, and the pain we went through. I feel that this moment is the result of all those years of effort."

Winning the US Open marks another major milestone in Zverev's career; he had previously won gold at the Tokyo Olympics. The German star, who once repeatedly stumbled at the final hurdle of Grand Slams, now seems to be writing a new chapter in his career. And on the night of his US Open victory, Zverev made it clear that his mother's unwavering belief remains a crucial part of that story.