Ever since reaching the finals of the Australian Open this year, things have gone south for Alexander Zverev. He has had an inconsistent run, especially in big tournaments. On July 1, he bowed out of the Wimbledon Championships in the first round, suffering a shocking defeat against Arthur Rinderknech. Winning just one title this year, Zverev’s struggles aren’t just on the court, but also off it. “I feel very alone out there at times. I struggle mentally. … I’m trying to find ways to kind of get out of this hole. I keep kind of finding myself back in it in a way,” admitted the 28-year-old after his first-round Wimbledon loss. However, amidst all the setbacks, the German star has made a stunning return to the court.
On July 14th, Zverev was seen practicing at Rafa Nadal Academy, with an eye on the hard-court season ahead. He had Rafael Nadal‘s uncle, Toni Nadal, by his side, who gave some useful tips to the German as he looked to press the reset button. Moreover, this also raised speculations about Toni Nadal joining Zverev’s team as his coach. However, neither of the two has made it official.
Meanwhile, just a few days back, the 28-year-old discussed his state of mind after a first-round exit at Wimbledon. He added, “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. It’s not necessarily about tennis. Just lacking joy outside of tennis, as well.” Subsequently, many players came to his aid, with the likes of Amanda Anisimova supporting Zverev amid his struggles. Nonetheless, Zverev wants to switch the focus back to tennis and he just completed a rigorous practice session with Toni Nadal.
Alexander Zverev training today at the Rafa Nadal Academy, under the watchful eye of Toni Nadal pic.twitter.com/a1KBFjZQjI
— Olly Tennis (@Olly_Tennis_) July 14, 2025
Further, Zverev was due to play in EFG Swiss Open Gstaad 2025 this week. However, he pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons. His sole aim is to now focus on his mental health and come back rejuvenated on the court. Nonetheless, Zverev is set to return at the Canadian Open, which will take place at the end of this month.
Amid his mental health struggles, fellow tennis star Aryna Sabalenka urged Zverev to open up about his struggles freely. She cited her example when she went through the similar rough waters.
Aryna Sabalenka backs Alexander Zverev to come back stronger
Hearing Zverev’s struggles about his mental health, Sabalenka remembered the time when she was also facing the similar issues. A few years back, when things weren’t going well in Sabalenka’s career, she had to press the reset button while battling mental health issues. Thus, she supported Zverev and urged him to speak freely about this problem.
Sabalenka said, “I stopped, I don’t know, maybe in 2022. It’s crazy to hear from someone like Alexander, because he has surrounded himself with his family. 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 him. 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.”
On the other hand, Anisimova gave the same advice to the German star, and asked him to reach out to people he can confide in. “I feel like there are so many factors. For me, personally, it was finding people that I could confide in and I trusted. People that I could talk to,” Anisimova said.
While Zverev sweats it out on the court, it is imperative that he focuses on his mental health as well. In the end, a sound physical and mental state is key to success on the court, and it remains to be seen how well he makes a comeback later this month.
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