Aryna Sabalenka advised Alexander Zverev to “destroy” him before such issues.
Wimbledon’s third seed Zverev was eliminated by Arthur Linderkneck in five sets on Tuesday in his first opening round loss at the Grand Slam since 2019.
The 28-year-old German, who left the court, has faced two domestic abuse allegations and admitted that Australians have struggled mentally since the opening, saying “It’s hard to find joy outside the tennis court for me at this point.”
He continued, “I have experienced many difficulties in the media. I have generally experienced many difficulties in my life. I have never felt this empty before. I just lack joy, I lack joy in everything I do. It’s not necessarily about tennis.
Zverev told reporters that he felt “very, very alone,” and that he would consider treatment, “for the first time in my life I probably need it.”
Sabalenka spoke after her second victory with Marie Boozkova on Wednesday, saying she had a therapist for five years.
“It stopped in 2022, I don’t know, I don’t know. It’s weird to hear from someone like Alexander. “It’s really important to be open and talk about what you’re going through because if you’re trying to put it inside, it’s just destroying you. I think that’s what’s happening to him.”
“He just needs to be open to people close to him… people who can accept anything you’re dealing with. The moment you start talking about your problem, you start to realize a lot of things. It helps you solve them.”
In January, Australia’s open victory became her 46th Grand Slam appearance, Madison Keys spoke about how therapy helped her play her best tennis. She said on Wednesday that mental health is being discussed more openly on the tour.
“I think we’re definitely more open,” Keys said. “I really don’t remember that’s the point of talking about. I think more and more players are open to saying, ‘I’m talking to someone.’ I think there are probably more of us who are talking to someone more than before.
“We have people in tournaments every week, which is very helpful. I think they did a really good job of getting that support, really supporting all players through their really tough careers.”
Sabalenka said she no longer needed a therapist and often dealt with the issues by interacting with her team.
“We always talk a lot… what we can talk about,” she said. “I know they don’t judge me, they don’t blame me, they’ll accept that.
Reuters contributed to this report.
