Zverev reveals grass allergy as an obstacle before the duel at Wimbledon.

Alexander Zverev surprised many by revealing that he suffers from a grass allergy, an unusual condition that, according to him, recurrently affects his performance during the grass season and, in particular, at Wimbledon. The German arrives in London as the champion of a Grand Slam tournament – having won Roland Garros this year – but he continues to seek a true qualitative leap at one of the most iconic stages in world tennis, where he has never even reached a final.

Currently ranked number 3 in the ATP rankings, Zverev arrived at Wimbledon after limited preparation on grass, having only reached the semifinals at the Halle tournament, his only official commitment before stepping onto the courts of the All England Club. The struggle against grass is not limited to the tennis aspect: the German confessed that every year he feels the effects of a specific allergy to the surface, something he had kept secret until now. “I have an allergy to grass. This is not new to me; I have it every year. I just never talked about it before, and in recent years, I haven’t let it show,” Zverev admitted to Bild, finally revealing one of his biggest physical obstacles at this stage of the season.

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The relevance of this news goes far beyond mere clinical curiosity: Zverev arrives at Wimbledon with high morale, free from the burden of never having won a major, but still finds himself confronted with an unusual physical barrier among the best in the world – one that could indeed affect not only his performance but also the expectations of fans and experts. The German has already amassed 25 titles in his career, but most were won on clay and hard courts, contrasting with his modest record on the London grass. It is worth noting that Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam where he has never reached the final, which adds even more tension to his participation this year, especially now that he has publicly acknowledged a physical limitation.

Zverev also highlighted how the victory at Roland Garros changed his mindset ahead of yet another major challenge: “I have to be honest with myself: it feels different to have the title in my pocket. I feel more joy and, in a way, more freedom. But when I step onto the court, I want to do my job and play my best tennis,” said the German, showing renewed ambition despite the burden he carries. The preparation took place amidst intense sessions against top opponents like Félix Auger-Aliassime and Andrey Rublev, as well as practice on the indoor courts of the All England Club during the recent heatwaves. “Everything is very well designed. Everything is air-conditioned inside, but even with the roof open, it feels cooler. It’s a really good facility,” Zverev described, praising Wimbledon’s conditions for coping with extreme temperatures and, indirectly, easing the impact of his allergy.

The German emphasized that, although his “grass allergy” may seem like a minor detail, he approaches Wimbledon with clear objectives: to transform the confidence gained in Paris into a consistent campaign on a surface that has historically limited his aspirations. His first opponent will be Belgian Alexander Blockx, a young prospect who has already surprised by reaching the semifinals of a Masters in Madrid this season and, despite his limited experience in Grand Slams, has tested top players. Interestingly, it was Zverev himself who stopped Blockx in Madrid and then again in Rome, but both of those encounters were on clay. This time, the clash will be on grass, with Blockx still searching for his first victory in the main draw of Wimbledon, having only won in the qualifying rounds.

If Zverev can overcome the physical and psychological challenge that grass presents, he may finally break the stigma that haunts him in London and establish himself as one of the greats of his generation on this surface as well. Otherwise, the “grass allergy” may continue to be the German’s Achilles’ heel in a tournament that, year after year, stubbornly eludes him. The next step will be to understand to what extent this limitation will have a real impact on his performance against Blockx and, above all, whether he will be able to maintain the level displayed at Roland Garros, now under entirely different conditions. The tennis world will undoubtedly follow every detail of this story, eagerly anticipating whether Zverev can finally conquer Wimbledon — or if, once again, grass will be his greatest adversary.

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