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Boris Becker ‘Cried’ Watching Alexander Zverev Make Mental Health Struggles Admission at Wimbledon

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Gouri Das | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 11:16 AM ET

Alexander Zverev opened up about his mental health struggles after his five-set defeat to Arthur Rinderknech in the first round of Wimbledon. His revelation started a conversation about mental health and several colleagues of his admitted that tennis sometimes badly affects their lifestyle.

The World No.3, during the press conference after his exit, stated that he was lonely and couldn’t find joy in anything he does on and off the court. Zverev also revealed that he had been feeling this since his defeat to World No.1 Jannik Sinner in this year’s Australian Open final.

In one of the press conferences ahead of Wimbledon, Zverev expressed his frustration over Boris Becker urging him to change his approach. Becker later defended himself, saying he said those things only to advise his compatriot. Now Becker, in the latest Becker Petkovic podcast, revealed that he cried while Zverev was talking about his mental health struggles.

I watched the press conference live and I cried. A person opened up and said, ‘I have problems, I have mental problems, help me. I don’t have anyone around me except my daughter, who is four years old, with whom I like to spend time, where I laugh and smile’. This was a person who revealed himself and that’s why, for the first time, I’m a little worried about his mental health.

Zverev has won just one title this season – the BMW Open by beating Ben Shelton. Apart from the BMW Open and the Australian Open finals, the 28-year-old also reached the Boss Open final but couldn’t cross the final hurdle in the form of Taylor Fritz.

At the French Open, where he was the runner-up last year (lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets), 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic defeated him in four sets in the quarterfinals. With his defeat at SWI9, Zverev once again failed to progress beyond the fourth round of the grass-court Major.

Boris Becker urges Alexander Zverev to skip the Gstaad Open

Boris Becker wants Alexander Zverev to have some time off and enjoy his vacation in Ibiza. Becker advised him to not play the Gstaad Open which starts on July 14.

So, he is now in Ibiza and has let a few days into the soul tree. So, he’s fine so far, because I’m interested in the person Sascha Zverev, the player he’s fine, but my advice would be please, please, please don’t play Gstaad.
Boris Becker said on the Becker Petkovic podcast

After his defeat to Sinner in the Melbourne Slam, Zverev failed to secure three consecutive wins in the next six tournaments he played. The BMW Open was the first title Zverev won since his Paris Masters win last year. He has not yet lifted a Big Title since that win.

Alexander Zverev has never won the Gstaad Open

Zverev is on the entry list of the Gstaad Open where he is the first seed. The ATP 250 tournament will be held on the outdoor clay courts and Matteo Berrettini will enter the tournament as the defending champion.

Zverev has never won the title or reached the final in Gstaad. The three-time Grand Slam finalist did not participate in the tournament last year. If he plays, it might help him strengthen his ranking.

The opening-round defeat at Wimbledon won’t affect his ranking as he will remain in the third spot with 6,310 points. Just below him stands Taylor Fritz, who claimed 5,035 points after booking a spot in the Wimbledon semifinal for the first time in his career.

Fritz has a tough task in the last four because he is pitted against someone who has won the last two Wimbledon trophies. It’s Carlos Alcaraz, who will be meeting the American on July 11.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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