“The whole family is here,” the 2021 Olympic tennis champion tells us when we meet him for an interview in Munich on Monday evening (April 13th). It is the start of the BMW Open, which Alex Zverev won last year. “It’s always a family tournament for us every year,” the 28-year-old continues to enthuse about the support of his loved ones. “And we enjoy that too.”

Unfortunately, can Sophia Thomalla This year you won't be able to sit in the stands in Munich and cheer on Alex. She is currently filming for RTL in Thailand. In addition to his parents and his daughter, his most loyal companion is also there: male dachshund Mishka, who has been shaking up Zverev and Thomalla's lives for a good six months now.

The tennis star and the presenter have been a couple for around five years. Both are busy and travel around the world. Unlike other couples, there is no permanent togetherness, but rather long periods in which you don't see each other in person. Alexander Zverev doesn't see any problem with this: “It's normal for us after five years. We don't know it any other way.”

It's even nicer when Mishka the dog is there for the athlete: “To be honest: the dachshund is very devoted to daddy,” announces Zverev and beams. “It’s very important to me.” Occasionally Mishka is also allowed to go on the red carpet, that's how much he has won the hearts of his master and mistress. And while “Papa” Alex plays tennis, the little one waits for him in the hotel.