Alexander Zverev's daughter Mayla made a rare public appearance during his opening match at the Halle Open on Wednesday. The five-year-old was seen in the German star's player box alongside his girlfriend, Sophia Thomalla, as Zverev began his grass-court season with a hard-fought win. Cameras briefly showed Mayla and Thomalla sharing a light moment in the stands while the World No. 3 battled past Czech player Vit Kopriva in three sets.
Match Details and Family Appearance
Zverev started his Halle Open campaign with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Vit Kopriva. While the match itself drew plenty of attention, many viewers also noticed Mayla sitting in her father's box next to Sophia Thomalla.
Mayla is the daughter of Alexander Zverev and his former partner Brenda Patea. She was born in March 2021 and is rarely seen at public tennis events. During the match, television cameras captured a few moments of Mayla interacting with Thomalla, offering a glimpse into a part of Zverev's life that usually stays out of the spotlight.
Zverev's Stance on Privacy
Zverev and Patea currently share joint custody of their daughter. The tennis star has repeatedly said he wants Mayla to grow up away from public attention and social media exposure. Speaking to ATP Media before the Mexican Open in Acapulco earlier this year, Zverev explained why he prefers to keep his daughter out of the spotlight.
"I try to keep her away from the spotlight. I want her to be a normal child, growing up with a normal life. I try to keep her out of social media, all the Instagrammie stuff," Zverev said.
Next Round Opponent
With the first-round hurdle cleared, Zverev will now face fellow German Yannick Hanfmann in the second round of the ATP 500 event.
The matchup will be only the second meeting between the two players. Their first and only previous clash came in Munich in 2018, where Zverev earned a three-set victory.
The top seed is still searching for his first Halle Open title despite enjoying success at the tournament over the years. He finished runner-up in 2016 and 2017, losing to Florian Mayer and Roger Federer respectively.
If Zverev defeats Hanfmann, he will move on to face either Belgium's Raphael Collignon or Italy's Mattia Bellucci. Both players entered the main draw through qualifying and are looking to continue their impressive runs on grass.
