What is happening at Wimbledon? Just as the Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula news were shocking the tennis world, the 3rd seed of the men’s tournament, Alexander Zverev, was eliminated in the first round by unranked Frenchmen Arthur Rinderknech.
The match started on Monday, but was cut short because of curfew and had to be resumed Tuesday morning. A grueling five-set thriller (7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4) resulted in the earliest Grand Slam exit for the German since 2019. Rinderknech capitalized on Zverev’s visible fatigue and mental lapses; this last subject is highlighted by a turbulent year for the world’s No. 3. While the result was a shocker on its own, it was the subsequent press conference that truly captured headlines around the tennis world.
“I feel empty and very alone”, Zverev reflects on mental health
Following his defeat, the German had the opportunity to talk to the media and explain what happened on the grass court. Instead, he offered a raw and emotional reflection on his current state of mind. “I feel empty. I feel very, very, very alone in life,” he confessed. “It’s not about tennis. It’s something deeper.”
The two-time ATP Finals winner declared that despite his on-court situation, he’s been struggling to find purpose and motivation inside and outside the sport. “Even when I win, I don’t feel happy. I go to bed and don’t want to get up. I think I need psychological help…maybe for the first time in my life.”
After these comments, the shockwave traveled around social media and drew support from both fans and fellow players. Many praised his vulnerability and openness about mental health, a topic that continues to rise above other themes in elite sporting circles.
Alexander Zverev says goodbye to Wimbledon
The 28-year-old’s exit greatly disrupts the men’s bracket, clearing the path for potential title contenders like the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. Not just that, it also raises crucial questions about the emotional toll of professional tennis. Zverev is just the latest in a growing list of top players, including Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu, to place mental health on the table of discussion of the sport.
Wimbledon has just become an historic event in 2025; taking into account men’s and women’s tournament, 8 top-10 seeds have been eliminated in the first round, the most ever in the Open Era (since 1968). In total, 22 seeded players (men’s and women’s competition) have been eliminated in the first round of ‘The Championships’; talk about parity in the sport. The combination of intense heat, physical toll, and high expectations appears to be putting special pressure across the board.
Seeded players out in men’s singles tournament
- No. 3 Alexander Zverev
- No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti
- No. 8 Holger Rune
- No. 9 Daniil Medvedev
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