'NEVER FELT THIS EMPTY': ZVEREV OPEN TO THERAPY AFTER SHARING CANDID RESPONSE

(Getty/Julian Finney)

World No.3 Alexander Zverev has confessed that he is "lacking joy" on and off the court in an honest admission after being shown the door in the first-round at Wimbledon.

Although he fired 31 aces, the German star failed to break serve in five sets against France's Arthur Rinderknech in a 6-7(3), 7-6(8), 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6 loss.

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A three-time major finalist, Zverev's confidence has continually dipped, especially after being blown off the court against world No.1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets at this year's Australian Open final.

His latest defeat at the All England Lawn Tennis Club spells his third defeat in the first-round of a tournament in 2025.

"I feel very alone out there at times. I struggle mentally. I've been saying that since after the Australian Open," said Zverev, who has failed to exceed the fourth-round at Wimbledon.

"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.

"I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice."

The 28-year-old added that "for the first time in my life I'll probably need it" when referring to a question about whether he would seek therapy to improve his mental health.

"I've been through a lot of difficulties. I've been through a lot of difficulties in the media. I've been through a lot of difficulties in life," he continued.

"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.

"Even when I'm winning, even when I'm winning like in Stuttgart or Halle, it's not necessarily a feeling that I used to get where I was happy, over the moon, I felt motivated to keep going.

"It's just not there right now for me, which, again, is the first time in my life which I'm feeling it."

In 2020, Zverev's former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova, accused the German of domestic violence, and three years later, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Brenda Patea, also made claims of assault, insisting she was pushed against a wall and strangled.

Zverev strongly denied both of those claims, and an appearance at a Berlin court ensured the case was discontinued last year.

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