Alexander Zverev is already a name cemented into the annals of German tennis history. The German reached the pinnacle of the Olympic world in 2021, winning the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

His victory was the first time a German had secured the men's singles tennis gold. The 26-year-old's path to victory included a stunning upset of the world number one and heavy favourite, Novak Djokovic, in the semi-finals, followed by a triumphant performance over Karen Khachanov in the final.

"I've won the World Tour Finals, but a gold medal at the Olympics, the value is incredible because you're not only playing for yourself, you're playing for your country. It's an incredible feeling. There is nothing better than this," the German commented after the historic win.

Born in Hamburg in 1997 to Russian parents, Zverev was exposed to tennis from an early age, with both of his parents having played the sport at a high level in the former Soviet Union. They moved to Germany after the collapse of the Soviet Union, where they imparted their tennis expertise to their young son, who began training under his mother's guidance at only three years old.