Sophia Thomalla unreachable before Wimbledon final: Zverev switches off his phone

By reaching the Wimbledon final, Zverev also wrote a piece of German tennis history: he is the first German professional to reach a Wimbledon final since Boris Becker in 1995. The last German Wimbledon champion of all remains Michael Stich, who won the title in 1991 and was present as an expert at this year's tournament.

Relationship and reaction: Thomalla plans a later flight

Despite the radio silence between the two, Zverev recently appeared relaxed and emphasized with a laugh that he and Thomalla had a very stable relationship. The temporary unavailability during a Grand Slam is therefore not a sign of problems, but part of his tournament routine.

Thomalla had publicly shared in the days before the final that she could not reach Zverev. The message attracted attention because it came shortly before the most important match of his year to date. Observers interpreted the episode as an example of the strict focus that top athletes display during major tournaments.

Historical dimension: First German finalist since Becker

Zverev himself had won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 and has been part of the world's elite for years. By advancing to the Wimbledon final, he underscored his exceptional standing in German men's tennis – and set the stage for a possible historic title.

Should Zverev win the final against Sinner, he would be the first German Wimbledon champion since Michael Stich 35 years ago. The starting position before the final, however, is considered difficult: Sinner was seeded as the new world number two and had clearly had the upper hand in their recent meetings.