This week at Wimbledon, Alexander Zverev spoke candidly about feeling “empty” and “very alone,” admitting to a lack of motivation and uncertainty about seeking therapy. His openness sparked an outpouring of support, including from fellow tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, who offered thoughtful advice drawn from her own journey through mental health challenges.
Speaking from experience, Sabalenka emphasized the importance of honest conversations, strong support systems, and the value of opening up before struggles become overwhelming.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Heartfelt Response to Alexander Zverev’s Mental Conditions
Sabalenka showed deep empathy when asked about Zverev’s emotional confession at Wimbledon. The world No. 1 shared her own experience with therapy and offered practical advice based on her journey.
“I had a therapist for like five years. I stopped working [attending] maybe in 2022,” Sabalenka revealed during her press conference. She expressed surprise at hearing Zverev’s struggles, noting that “he surrounded himself with the family.”
The Belarusian champion emphasized the critical importance of open communication. “I think it’s really important to talk openly about whatever you’re dealing with. Especially if you have your family, you can say whatever you feel to your family,” she explained.
Sabalenka’s most powerful message centered on the dangers of keeping emotions bottled up. “If you’re going to keep it inside, it’s just going to destroy you. I think that’s something that’s happening to him. I think he just needs to open up to whoever is close to him,” she stated.
The three-time Grand Slam champion also shared how she manages her mental health without a therapist now. “Me, with my team, we always talk a lot. That’s why I don’t need a therapist. I have my team. We talk about whatever. I know they’re not going to judge me. They’re not going to blame me. They’re just going to accept it, and we’re going to work through,” she explained.
Aryna Sabalenka on Zverev saying he feels empty & very alone in his life, ‘If you’re gonna keep it inside, it’s just gonna destroy you. I think he needs to open up to whoever is close to him’
“Alexander Zverev gave an incredible press conference last night where he said again… pic.twitter.com/nJvlabCrJ5
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 2, 2025
Zverev Opens Up on Emotional Struggle at Wimbledon
After his stunning first-round loss to Arthur Rinderknech, Zverev opened up about his mental health struggles in a remarkably honest press conference.
“It’s funny, I feel very alone out there at times. I struggle mentally. I’ve been saying that since after the Australian Open,” Zverev admitted. He described feeling trapped in a cycle of despair. “I’m trying to find ways, trying to find ways to kind of get out of this hole. I keep kind of finding myself back in it in a way.”
The German star revealed the depth of his loneliness. “I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice,” he confessed.
Zverev made clear that tennis itself wasn’t the root problem. “It’s something else that I have to find within me at the moment,” he stated. He acknowledged the need for internal change: “I have to solve myself first. I have to solve my issues.”
The emotional weight of his third Grand Slam final loss at the Australian Open earlier this year appears to have triggered this difficult period.
