Alexander Zverev's girlfriend's Wimbledon no-show explained after he admitted he felt ‘alone' and 'empty' before exit
And the German bad-boy admitted he might need therapy after he felt "alone" and "empty" during his early exit.
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Alexander Zverev crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round and admitted he may need therapy
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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His girlfriend Sophia Thomalla was doing some filming back home in Germany this week
Credit: Splash
Controversial Zverev became the biggest casualty on the men's side so far at Wimbledon when the third seed crashed out 7-6 6-7 6-3 6-7 6-4 to France's Arthur Rinderknech on Centre Court, in a match played over two days.
But the No3 seed's partner Sophia Thomalla was not in his box for either day.
According to news outlet BILD in his homeland, influencer and television presenter Thomalla was busy filming commercials back home.
And Zverev, 28, who has been at the heart of two allegations of domestic abuse - both denied - in recent years, opened up on his mental struggles on and off the court.
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He said: 'I feel very alone out there at times. I struggle mentally.
'I'm trying to find ways to get out of this hole but keep finding myself back in it.
'Generally speaking, I feel quite alone in life at the moment, which is not very nice.'
Unheralded Rinderknech showed no mercy, falling forward to lie face-first on the turf in sheer joy after he unleashed a mid-court backhand pass to secure the biggest victory of his career.
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And a devastated Zverev admitted: 'Maybe for the first time in my life I'll probably need therapy.
'I've been through a lot of difficulties. I've never felt this empty before.
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'Just lacking joy, just lacking joy in everything that I do. It's not necessarily about tennis. Just lacking joy outside of tennis, as well.
'Even when I'm winning, even when I'm winning like in Stuttgart or Halle, I'd not getting the feeling I used to get, when I was happy, over the moon, motivated to keep going. It's just not there right now for me."
Zverev lost his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January.
But he has struggled for form since - wasting his chance to become the world No1 during Jannik Sinner's drugs ban, suffering a string of shock defeats to players with far lower rankings before his Wimbledon upset.
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Thomalla has been a regular courtside for Zverev in recent years
Credit: Getty
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