Alexander Zverev lashes out at anti-doping authorities after incident involving his 4-year-old daughter

German tennis star Alexander Zverev has taken a strong stance against anti-doping protocols, criticizing the rigid system after a troubling personal experience involving his young daughter.

During a press conference at the 2025 BMW Open in Munich, Zverev expressed his frustration with the inflexibility of the current anti-doping procedures, specifically their failure to respect athletes’ personal circumstances.

“It’s an annoying process, I have to be honest,” Zverev said. “We have to provide exact details of where we will be for one hour every single day. But even if they show up outside of that window, we are still expected to comply.”

He recounted a specific incident in December where this policy caused significant distress.

“I was picking up my daughter from the airport in Nice. My testing window was between 7 and 8 AM, but they came at 9 PM and demanded I return. I told them, ‘I can’t—I’m picking up my three-year-old child,’ and they said, ‘It doesn’t matter, you have to come back.’ That’s not okay. It takes away basic freedom.”

Zverev questioned the fairness of a system that places unreasonable demands on athletes, even outside of the agreed testing hours.

“If you come during the hour I’ve provided, fine—that’s the rule. But beyond that, there has to be some flexibility,” he argued. “Just because you decide to show up randomly doesn’t mean I should have to abandon everything I’m doing.”

“I believe the system can and should evolve. Athletes deserve a process that ensures fairness while still allowing them to live their lives.”

His criticism has sparked discussions within the tennis community about the mental and emotional toll that such policies can take, especially on athletes who are also balancing parental responsibilities.