Alexander Zverev will compete in his first Wimbledon final without his grandmother in the stands. The German revealed after his semifinal victory that a visa problem linked to her Russian passport has prevented her from traveling to London.
Zverev advanced to Sunday's final with a 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 win over British wildcard Arthur Fery. His grandmother had attended his French Open triumph last month but was required to return home after her 90-day permitted stay expired.
“She doesn’t have a visa. She unfortunately has a Russian passport still,” Zverev said in his post-match press conference. He expressed hope that a counsellor could assist with a passport or extended visa so she might attend future events.
Zverev also noted that his phone remains switched off throughout Grand Slam tournaments, meaning he will not receive messages from her during the final. He faces defending champion Jannik Sinner, whom he has lost to in each of their last nine encounters.
