Alexander Zverev defeated Flavio Cobolli on Sunday at Roland Garros to capture his first Grand Slam title, finally breaking through after losing three major finals. One day after the German’s triumph, Novak Djokovic shared a heartfelt message on social media, congratulating him on the achievement and reflecting on their long-standing connection.
“Sasha, I have known you since you were 10 years old,” Djokovic posted on Instagram. “You were battling on the practice courts with my youngest brother while I was competing against your older brother, Mischa, on the big stage in both junior and pro circuit. I’ve nurtured a respectful and friendly relationship with your entire family for many years.”
Zverev turned professional in 2013. By then, Djokovic had already established himself as one of the dominant forces on the Tour. Their on-court rivalry began in 2017 when they met in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia final, in which Zverev defeated Djokovic to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 title at just 20 years old.
Since then, the pair have faced each other on the sport’s biggest stages, including at Grand Slam tournaments, Masters 1000 tournaments, the Nitto ATP Finals and the Olympics. While Djokovic currently leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 9-5, his message showed that their relationship has always been built on mutual respect and admiration.
“We had countless conversations on tennis tactics, strategic plays, life, family, business,” Djokovic added. “We had fun time on and off the court. Knowing what you had to endure with your illness since the young age, overcoming the greatest mental hurdle within yourself and shutting down critics who thought you would never win GS, makes this Grand Slam win even more special and memorable.”
The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings concluded his message by expressing he was deeply moved by Zverev's breakthrough, expressing his happiness at seeing the German finally secure the Grand Slam title he had worked so hard to achieve.
“Seeing the tears of joy you had together with your parents, brother and other team members made me emotional," Djokovic wrote. "I’m happy that you made it and you absolutely deserve this success because you have worked so hard on every front to make it happen. Enjoy it 🙌👏💪🏆.”
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