“I’ve been through the same many times”: Novak Djokovic offers support to Alexander Zverev on mental health struggles

Novak Djokovic reacted to Alexander Zverev's recent comments regarding mental health struggles in tennis. The German suffered a painful first-round defeat at Wimbledon and alluded to mental health problems, stating he no longer enjoys himself as much on or off the court.

Gradually, players have spoken out about mental health over the past couple of years, including Naomi Osaka, Andrey Rublev, and Iga Swiatek, who have highlighted the importance of mental well-being and the difficult moments experienced in a solitary sport like tennis.

Most recently, Sascha Zverev vocalized his struggles, admitting he hasn't been feeling well lately. Amidst irregular results, his latest Wimbledon appearance ended prematurely in the first round—his first Grand Slam opening-round elimination since Wimbledon 2019.

Following Zverev's concerning statements, where he claimed to have "never felt so empty," reactions came from some of his colleagues, including 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic. The Serb and the German have faced each other 14 times on Tour, most recently in the Roland Garros quarterfinals, with the 38-year-old veteran claiming the win.

"Sascha and I have a great relationship, I like him a lot as a person. We talk quite a bit actually about tennis and different topics in life as well,” commented Djokovic when asked about the statements from the world No. 3. “We had the chance after our training session here before Wimbledon about some technical stuff on the court… he was asking me and I was sharing with him.”

“He knows he can always reach out to me. I understand exactly what he’s going through because I’ve been through that many times where you feel empty or less joy or less happiness playing. Where you’re not delivering the kind of results on court that you’re looking for.

“It’s all part of the process. You can’t always feel your best. He’s one of the players that’s been playing a lot this year in terms of his calendar. Maybe he’s just overwhelmed with so many tournaments and everything,” the former world No. 1 added. “Maybe he needs to take a break and refresh his mind. Him and his family know best.”

“I empathize with him. I know mental health is a topic that hasn’t been much talked about in the tennis world before. But I think it deserves more attention. I salute the players who have the courage to come out and speak about that, I definitely wish him all the best. If he needs me, I’m here.”

Zverev made an early exit in the first round against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech and will return to the courts in two weeks at the Gstaad Open, where he will be the top seed in a final European summer tournament before traveling to North America for the hardcourt swing.