Zverev loses Wimbledon final to Sinner; Merz visits locker room after match

A high-class final on Centre Court

Alexander Zverev faced world number one Jannik Sinner in his first Wimbledon final on Sunday. Zverev started sharply, securing the opening tiebreak 9 points to 7. Sinner levelled the match in the second set, winning the tiebreak 7-2. The Italian then took control, claiming the third set 6-3 and the fourth 6-4 to seal the championship. The final lasted just over three hours and was hailed by Süddeutsche Zeitung as a "umkämpftes und hochklassiges Finale", a hard-fought and high-class contest. Zverev, the 2026 French Open champion, could not sustain his early momentum as Sinner raised his game on the Centre Court grass.

The Chancellor in the Royal Box

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his wife Charlotte travelled to London for the grass-court showpiece. They were seated in the Royal Box at the All England Club, with Prince William and Princess Kate in the front row. The presence of Germany's head of government at a Wimbledon final is a rarity, reflecting Merz's personal interest in Zverev's career. German media later highlighted the unusual political support, with ZEIT ONLINE and Der Tagesspiegel both leading with the locker-room encounter.

Locker room consolation

After the match, Merz did not simply leave the grounds. He headed into the players' area and met Zverev in the locker room. The tennis player later shared the moment with reporters:

He came into the locker room after the match. We talked a few words, it was nice that he was there.

The gesture echoed a phone call Zverev received from the Chancellor after his French Open title in early June, showing a growing bond between the state leader and the athlete. Zverev said the visit was a pleasant surprise and he was grateful for the support.

A mixed Grand Slam season

Zverev had broken through at Roland-Garros on the Parisian clay, winning his first major after years of near-misses. The French Open victory, in early June, sparked a congratulatory call from Merz and raised hopes of a German double. The Wimbledon final marked Zverev's second consecutive Grand Slam final, but Sinner proved too strong. The Italian world number one, who had won the Australian Open earlier in the year, added a second major title to his 2026 haul.

Germany's Wimbledon wait goes on

The loss extends a dry spell for German men's tennis at the All England Club. As Süddeutsche Zeitung noted, Tennis-Deutschland must continue to wait for a successor to Boris Becker and Michael Stich, the last German men's singles champions at Wimbledon in 1989 and 1991 respectively. Zverev leaves London with a runner-up plate and will now turn his attention to the hard-court season.