Tennis: Djokovic congratulates Zverev: Tears make me emotional

“The shared tears of joy with your parents, your brother and other team members made me emotional,” wrote Djokovic on Instagram. “I’m glad you made it and you absolutely deserve this success because you worked so hard on every front to make it happen.”

Djokovic and Zverev have known each other for a long time

The 39-year-old Serb, who blocked Zverev (29)’s path to his first Grand Slam title several times in hotly contested matches, recalled that he knew the Hamburg native as a ten-year-old. He himself has already played against Zverev’s brother Mischa, who is ten years older than him.

“We had countless conversations about tennis tactics, strategic moves, life, family, business. We had fun on and off the court,” said Djokovic. He also recalled Zverev’s diabetes. “The fact that you overcame the biggest hurdle within yourself and showed it to all the critics who thought you would never win a Grand Slam makes this Grand Slam victory even more special and unforgettable,” Djokovic explained.

The record winner at the most important tournaments was eliminated in the third round of the French Open this time.