Alexander Zverev can be a divisive figure. He has been accused of awful off-court issues, but never found guilty in a court of law. Perhaps he did the things he is accused of, and perhaps he didn't; we likely will never know. The accusations could be part of what stresses him, though.
After being bounced out of Wimbledon 2025 in a shocking first-round loss to Arthur Rinderknech, Zverev told the media post-match, "It's difficult to find joy outside the tennis court for me at the moment. I've been through a lot of difficulties in the media. I've been through a lot of difficulties in life, generally. I've never felt this empty before. Just lacking joy, just lacking joy in everything that I do."
That doesn't only sound like a person unhappy with his tennis, but someone extremely unhappy with their life. Perhaps the German was simply reacting emotionally to losing a match, but it seemed like more. He was struggling mentally. He implied he might seek therapy.
Aryna Sabalenka suggests Alexander Zverev get some help
WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka addressed the issue after her second-round defeat of Marie Bouzkova, and had some great advice for Zverev, while also relating some of her own struggles emotionally and mentally dealing with life and tennis.
In March 2024, Sabalenka's ex-boyfriend Konstantin Kolstov committed suicide in Miami at around the same time Sabalenka was preparing to play in the Miami Open. There was more to life than tennis, and Sabalenka knew it.
After beating Bouzkova, Sabalenka told the media that she had seen a therapist for five years.
She added, "It's really important to be open and to talk about what you're experiencing, because if you're going to keep it inside, it's just going to destroy you. I think that's something happening to (Zverev). He just needs to open up to whoever is close to him ... people who can accept whatever you're dealing with. The moment you start talk about your problems, you start realizing a lot of things. It helps to solve them."
ATP No. 14 Andrey Rublev has had some very public on-court battles with himself. He often gets so upset with his play that he will bang his racket against his knee, causing the knee to begin bleeding. He also takes his anger out on his racket at times, destroying some by hitting them into his on-court chair.
Rublev also weighed in on what is ailing Zverev, saying that tennis is not the root of the problem, most likely, but can definitely be a trigger.
The Russian said, "To be honest, it has nothing to do with tennis. It's about the same thing. It's just that you can find excuses like you're exhausted or mentally tired of playing non-stop, non-stop, but it has nothing to do with tennis. In the end, tennis is just the trigger point."
The bottom line is that Rublev and Sabalenka clearly both want Zverev to get the help he needs, and it has little to do with tennis. They simply want him to be emotionally and mentally healthy.