Billie Jean King Sends Message to Alexander Zverev After French Open Win

Alexander Zverev finally found his elusive first grand slam title by defeating Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for the French Open title on Sunday.

Zverev received many message of congratulations after the win, but one of the most significant came from a tennis legend. After watching his win, Billie Jean King took to social media to congratulate Zverev on becoming the first man with type 1 diabetes to win a major.

“Congratulations to @AlexZverev on his very first Grand Slam Singles title! He is also the first man with Type 1 Diabetes to win a major. What a victory for everyone living with this disease,” she said.

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King revealed her type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2007.

“This court is so special to me in so many ways. I’ve had the best moments of my life on this court; I had the worst moment of my life on these courts,” Zverev said, referring to when he was injured and pushed off on a wheelchair during a semifinal against Rafael Nadal in 2022 before eventually undergoing season-ending surgery.

“I was laying in that corner over there four years ago with seven broken ligaments and two fractured bones,” Zverev said. “I lost a Grand Slam final here two years ago but now finally it’s a happy end.”

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This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 6:34 PM.