Alexander Zverev failed in the first round in Wimbledon. He then spoke about psychological problems. He sets an important sign.
In January, Alexander Zverev said after his final defeat at the Australian Open against Jannik Sinner that he was “just not good enough”. Words that got a new meaning on Tuesday. Germany’s best tennis player spoke about mental problems after his first round in Wimbledon.
Zverev said that he sometimes felt “very alone” out there – and explained that he was trying to “find ways to get out of this hole”. What shows at first glance in what difficult situation the number three in the world is in truth: a moment of size.
Talking about mental problems testifies to strength because we live in a performance -oriented society that often only sees success. Problems are too often regarded as weakness. If the title is not in the end or the title is not promoted in the case of athletes, the person concerned has supposedly not done enough. This is wrong. And Zverev knows that only too well from its own experience.
He has been expected to win a Grand Slam title for years. The fact that he made it to the final at the Australian Open this year is also a success. There he lost to the currently world’s best. At the quarter-finals of the French Open, he lost this year against Novak Djoković, who collected the most Grand Slam titles in history. Performance and success are in the eye of the viewer.
Likewise strength. In Germany, according to the online platform Statista, the number of incapacity for work has increased due to mental illnesses. More and more young people suffer from burnouts – and have the feeling that they cannot talk about it. Zverev did it and that as an athlete in public. That proves courage. Zverev is not in its best constitution, but is openly dealing with it instead of simply winging up his problems: Chapeau.
He continues to follow his way. Zverev has always been a person who dealt openly with supposed taboo topics. The 28-year-old has type 1 diabetes. Three years ago Zverev made his illness public. At that time he already gave a voice to many people who are also affected. Now he is doing it again.
The world’s best gymnast Simone Biles broke out the final at the Tokyo Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 and took a two -year break from competition. She suffered from depression. Later she confessed that she should have stopped earlier. Only because athletes are in public does not mean that everything is perfect for them. And it is right and important to have voices like that of Biles and Zverev.
Zverev considered on Tuesday to go into therapy due to his problems. He understood what he is about and wants to act. The sports world needs a lot more such steps. They have a signal effect, because athletes are more than ever role models for many young people. In an interview with T-Online, sports psychologist Jens Kleinert from the German Sport University Cologne said that athletes should start with sports psychological support as early as possible to realize that it is “something normal, such as strength or technology training”.
This is the message that Zverev also sends. More should be talked about mental difficulties. Because they don’t just affect the sports world.