Alexander Zverev has always been a player known for his mental toughness and fierce competitiveness on the court. However, following a disappointing exit at Wimbledon, the German star opened up in a raw and emotional way that left fans concerned.
In his post-match press conference, the 28-year-old admitted that he may be reaching a point where therapy could become necessary for him. And that involves both his professional and personal life.
“Would I consider therapy? Yeah, maybe,” Alexander Zverev said. “Maybe for the first time in my life I’ll probably need it.”
The World No. 4, who has been at the center of intense pressure, revealed that the emotional toll has extended far beyond the tennis court.
“I’ve been through a lot of difficulties,” he added. “I’ve been through a lot of difficulties in the media. I’ve been through a lot of difficulties in life generally.”
Interestingly enough, Alexander Zverev’s admission comes at a time when conversations around mental health in sports have gained intense heat.
Players like Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios, and Andy Murray have all spoken publicly about their struggles in recent years. Not just in tennis, many other athletes have often talked about mental health issues and how they have been taking professional help.
What made Alexander Zverev’s comments particularly awakening was his openness about how this emptiness isn’t just limited to tennis.
“I’ve never felt this empty before,” he said. “I’m just lacking joy, lacking joy in everything that I do. It’s not necessarily about tennis. I’m just lacking joy outside of tennis as well.”
Despite reaching the latter stages of most major tournaments and playing some of the best tennis of his career. Including reaching the Roland Garros final just a month ago, it seems Zverev is facing a more personal internal battle that results, points and rankings can’t fix.
The German, who has previously spoken about growing up under intense scrutiny and with high expectations, has also had to deal with serious off-court issues, including domestic abuse allegations, which he has strongly denied.
The pressures have continued to mount, and his Wimbledon post-match comments have gone viral, eliciting a plethora of reactions online.