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Sophia Thomalla, Alexander Zverev’s girlfriend, shares a romantic message at the 2026 Miami Open.
Alexander “Sascha” Zverev reached the semifinals of the 2026 Miami Open after defeating Francisco Cerúndolo 6-1, 6-2. Next up, he’ll face the world’s No. 2-ranked player, Jannik Sinner, who’s on a historic run in Southern Florida.
Sinner, after defeating U.S. star Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinals, extended his record for most sets won (30) in a row in the history of Masters 1000 events. Zverev has a career 4-7 record against Sinner and hasn’t defeated the Italian star since 2023.
Sinner most recently defeated Zverev 6-2, 6-4 during the Indian Wells semifinals earlier this month, and the German star knows he faces an uphill battle at Hard Rock Stadium.
“Tomorrow will be the toughest test,” Zverev told reporters after his quarterfinal win. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve been feeling quite well, and hopefully it’ll continue.”
Helping bring Zverev some good luck in Miami are his girlfriend, Sophia Thomalla, and their dog, Mischka. At the start of the tournament, Thomalla and their sweet little dachshund sent him a strong message.
Sophia Thomalla Called Alexander Zverev the ‘Center of Everything’
GettyAlexander Zverev of Germany celebrates with longtime girlfriend, Sophia Thomalla.
Despite rumors of a breakup earlier this year, Thomalla and Zverev are still going strong. While Thomalla rarely posts about her beau on Instagram, where the German “Are You the One?” reality TV host has 1.4 million followers, she does post messages via their dog’s account.
At the start of the tournament. Mishka’s account posted a photo of Thomalla holding a Polaroid of Zverev at Hard Rock Stadium and wrote, “Center. Of. Everything. 🐶.”
Zverev and Thomalla are head over heels in love with Mischka, who travels the world with the couple as the 28-year-old competes. Over the past few months, the trio has traveled everywhere from Monaco to Palm Springs.
Alexander Zverev Said He Served ‘Terrible’ Against Jannik Sinner at Indian Wells
GettyAlexander Zverev of Germany, left, embraces Jannik Sinner of Italy after a loss in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Zverev, who’s yet to win a major title, has also never won the Miami Open. To reach the final round in Southern Florida, Zverev knows he needs to play better than he did at the BNP Paribas Open.
“We had some very close matches in the last couple of years, couple of months as well,” he said of Sinner. “All of them went his way, so I just hope for a different outcome.
“In Indian Wells, I played a bad match. The shot that let me down the most was my serve; I was serving terrible. I hope that changes tomorrow. I’m gonna do my best.”
Before the tournament in Miami kicked off, Zverev spoke about his new approach. “I’m managing to be more aggressive at certain times, but I still need time and I can’t be effective all the time,” he said. “I am willing to accept some losses because I am confident about this path. I’m sure it’s the right thing to do at this stage of my career.”
Emily Bicks covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Bills, Seahawks and Chiefs. She’s contributed to Heavy since 2019 and has interviewed some of the biggest stars in sports, including Jerry Rice, Shaquille O’Neal and Stefon Diggs. More about Emily Bicks
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