"I think I was depressed at times" - Alexander Zverev reveals mental health struggles

Alexander Zverev revealed that he has been struggling a lot this year with mental health but he denied it has anything to do with social media.

The mental health of players has been at the forefront ever since four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka revealed that she is struggling with anxiety and depression shortly after withdrawing from the 2021 French Open. Zverev is now the latest to reveal he has also been “depressed at times”.

Asked about the impact of social media on athletes Zverev said:

“You have to learn not to look at it. But for me, my mental health does not depend on social media. My mental health depends on other problems I have, to be honest. I never talk about it. I think some players talk about it more often, and more open. I don’t like to do that, but I was struggling a lot this year."

He continued:

“So, yeah, not because of social media. I was struggling a lot because of other things, so I was not happy. I think I was quite depressed at times, as well. So, yeah. It’s all a big part. I think the pressure we are under, we are constantly in a spotlight.”

Zverev also expressed the belief that older athletes can't really relate because the circumstances are so different:

“I think players from 20, 30 years ago don’t understand because now every single little thing you do, there is a camera there or someone that can comment on it or there is someone that will write about it. Thirty years ago it wasn’t like that. These days I think with social media and a lot of other platforms, there is a lot more involvement and there is a lot more hatred going on. That’s just the world we live in right now. It’s sad to see. But that’s the reality, because I think social media gives everybody a platform to say whatever they want, good or bad.”