‘There’s enough to worry about’ – Why Alexander Zverev is allowed to use his phone during Wimbledon final

“As if there isn’t enough to worry about out there in a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon.”

Andre Agassi uttered those words during Alexander Zverev’s first Wimbledon final against Jannik Sinner on Sunday afternoon.

The eight-time major winner was commenting on the German’s Type 1 diabetes and the lengths he has to go to so that his body can function properly.

During matches, but also off the court, the 29-year-old – who was diagnosed with the condition at the age of four – has to monitor his glucose levels and occasionally inject insulin if needed.

Earlier this tournament, the French Open winner told BBC Sport that he has two phones on court, one of which does not have a SIM Card and is solely used to monitor his glucose levels.

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As Zverev himself explained, “That’s why the umpires allow me to check my phone, so I don’t have to poke my finger every changeover.”

Zverev, who disclosed that he had Type 1 diabetes back in 2022, had a bit of a scare at Halle in June when there was a malfunction with his glucose monitor.

That led to him injecting a much higher level of insulin than he needed during his three-set loss to Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals of the German tournament.

The second Wimbledon seed later said he felt “absolutely terrible”, as he had to take in around 350g of sugar to offset the high insulin dose.

Incidentally, all the Grand Slams have a list of players that are diabetic. That means, those individuals can use their phones during matches – something other players who do not have a medical exemption cannot do.

According to the Lawn Tennis Association, mobile phones must be “switched off and stored away before entering the court”. There is also a ban on wearing smart watches or similar devices on court. 

The rules are so strict that if you break them, this can lead to the, “Immediate dismissal from the tournament and cause a report to be sent to the governing officiating body who can initiate a formal investigation into the incident”.

During Zverev’s match with Sinner in the second set, lead commentator Andrew Castle touched on the matter.

He said on the BBC, “Sascha Zverev is just taking his time and managing his diabetes with his [insulin] pen. He is the only player allowed to take a telephone out there [on court] because that monitors his blood sugar levels and he knows exactly when to treat himself.”

The soon-to-be world No 2 launched the Alexander Zverev Foundation to raise awareness and support children suffering from Type 1 diabetes just under four years ago.

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