Zverev's outburst reignites debate on mental health in tennis

Mental health is not a topic often discussed in the world of tennis, but the recent outburst from world number 3, German Alexander Zverev, has put the issue at the center of debate at this year's Wimbledon.

After being eliminated in the first round, the German spoke to the press about the struggle he often has on and off the court.

“Overall, I feel quite alone in life right now, which is not a very pleasant feeling,” said the 28-year-old.

“I’ve never felt this emptiness before… I also lack happiness outside of tennis,” he added.

The comments come four years after former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros in 2021, revealing she had been suffering from depression for years.

Asked about Zverev's comments, the Japanese player said she was not sure whether she was "the person who should be giving advice".

“Life is serious and at the same time not serious,” Osaka said, adding that she did not play in the Queen's tournament last June because “mentally I didn't feel ready after losing at Roland Garros.”

Zverev, who reached the Australian Open final in late January, said on Tuesday he felt a lack of motivation in life and had considered therapy for the first time.

He stated that even when he won, he did not feel happy or motivated to continue.

– “Speak openly” –

Her blunt comments prompted Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to invite her to continue “speaking out.”

The world number one added that she has been in therapy for five years.

“I think it’s really important to be open and talk about what you’re going through, because if you bottle it up, it’s going to destroy you,” said the 27-year-old tennis player.

“The moment you start talking about your problems, you start realizing a lot of things… it helps you solve them,” he added.

WTA No. 10 Emma Navarro, meanwhile, said it was difficult for players to stay positive “when you lose almost every week.”

“We have ourselves as our own critics, and yet so many people out there are equally critical,” said the 24-year-old American.

Navarro admitted that he “built a kind of shield” around himself to withstand the pressure.

She also said she was concerned about the criticism and attention, both negative and positive, that young female players, still teenagers, receive.

“I think it’s really hard to be exposed to that kind of attention as a teenager. It’s a little scary because you’re so impressionable at that age,” she said.

“I cringe a little when I see young people dealing with this attention,” he insisted.

For her compatriot Madison Keys (No. 8), 30, a big problem is that tennis consumes everything in players' lives.

“From a very young age… our identity becomes absorbed by the fact that we are tennis players. That’s great, but when you have tough weeks, months, years on the tour, it can affect how you see yourself as a person.”

Therefore, Keys advised players to surround themselves with a “good support system and… don’t go on Twitter (X).”

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