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Alexander Zverev recently acknowledged his girlfriend Sophia Thomalla's birthday in hilarious fashion.
Zverev is currently in Shanghai, having taken part in the ongoing Masters 1000 event. While the German was hoping to make a deep run, things did not go his way on the court as he crashed out against Roman Safiullin on October 6 — in his opening match itself.
Safiullin, who was defeated by Zverev in the recent Chengdu Open final, avenged his defeat this time around with a clinical performance and a 6-3, 6-1 scoreline.
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Despite the disappointing loss, Zverev still made it a point to celebrate his girlfriend Sophia Thomalla’s birthday as she turned 34 on the same day. The German took to social media and adorably wished her on the special occasion.
In the message, the former US Open finalist called Sophia Thomalla a ‘multitalented’ physiotherapist while hilariously showing a picture of her credentials for his tournaments.
“Sophia Thomalla: Physio Zverev,” the ID read.
The former World No. 2 appreciated his girlfriend’s presence in the lives of his pet dogs, Lovik and Junior. He also hilariously called her a ‘panda mom,’ referring to the four panda plushie souvenirs he gifted her after his Chengdu Open title win.
“Happy birthday to the multitalented physio, panda mom and dog sitter,” he humored.
“Lack of career options was never a problem but I thought people should know the most important ones,” he jokingly added.
Sophia Thomalla reacted to the message with a heart emoji:
Alexander Zverev has been in a relationship with Sophia Thomalla since 2021. Thomalla, a German model, actress and television presenter, is frequently spotted in the stands cheering for her boyfriend during his matches.
The couple has never shied away from publicly showing their love and support. In a German documentary on Zverev’s life, which was released this year, the tennis player revealed how Thomalla's presence has helped him discover a life outside tennis.
"She gave me the chance to realize that there is much more out there than tennis," Alexander Zverev said.
Sophia Thomalla, meanwhile, credited the former World No. 2 for being a good listener and for being there for her as well.
"I can talk to him about anything and he also has an ear for it," she expressed.
Alexander Zverev vying for 2023 ATP Finals spot after 2022 absence
After featuring in the ATP Finals for five straight years from 2017 onwards, Alexander Zverev failed to appear in 2022 due to his prolonged ankle injury. The German thus could not defend his title.
Zverev is back on track this season and is currently the World No. 10. He successfully defended his semifinal appearance at the French Open and reached the quarterfinals of the US Open as well. The German also lifted trophies at the ATP 500 Hamburg Open and the recently concluded ATP 250 Chengdu Open.
With just four of the eight ATP Finals spots up for grabs now, Alexander Zverev, currently placed seventh in the live race to Turin, will look to make the most of his upcoming three tournaments – the ATP 500s in Tokyo and Vienna, and the Masters 1000 in Paris – hoping to confirm his place.
