“You have to be really mentally strong to play tennis,” Naomi Osaka once remarked in her 2021 Netflix docuseries, shedding light on the unseen struggles of professional tennis. While players make their craft look effortless on the center court, life behind the scenes is anything but easy. Grueling schedules, relentless global travel, and immense pressure to perform on the court take a toll on even the best. And, despite an outstanding 2024 season, ATP ace Federico Gómez has now stepped forward to share his own battle with mental health, joining a growing list of players opening up about the ‘psychological’ challenges of life on tour. In a heartening show of support, tennis legend Boris Becker has extended a helping hand to the Argentine, standing by Gómez’s side as he navigates this demanding journey.

Gómez, the current 135th seed in the ATP rankings, recently stunned fans with a deeply personal revelation on social media. In an emotional and unfiltered IG post, the Argentine opened up about facing one of the toughest periods of his life, shedding light on the often-overlooked struggles that come with life on tour for tennis players. “The last 6 months have been some of the hardest I’ve ever had to live as a human being. Living with thoughts of leaving tennis completely, of really questioning myself if all this is really worth it and even repeatedly suicidal thoughts of not wanting to live anymore and leave this world…” he added. 

The moment the Argentines’ heartfelt post went live, “The Tennis Letter”, a popular page on X, quickly shared it, amplifying his message. Shortly after, a six-time GS champion from Germany, Boris Becker stepped forward, offering his support and solidarity. In a powerful statement, Becker addressed the situation head-on, declaring, “God bless Federico ! If I can help in any way ,contact me on my Instagram!”

At 28 years old, the Argentine Gómez has spent over a decade on the professional court, carving out his biggest successes on the ‘Challenger Tour’, where he has claimed three titles. His breakthrough moment came in Milan, where he secured his first ‘ATP Challenger’ singles title: becoming the oldest first-time winner of the season. This triumph set the way for his main draw debut at the ‘2024 Chengdu Open’, where he notched his first ATP Tour victory.

Gómez also battled through the qualifying rounds of last year’s US Open and this year’s Happy Slam, sadly he fell short of reaching the main draw. Despite these setbacks, the past year has undeniably been the most successful of his career. Given his recent achievements, his candid and emotional IG post may seem unexpected.

Achievements on a personal level don’t always guarantee happiness. Beneath the surface, many professional athletes grapple with personal challenges that often go unnoticed. The Argentine Federico Gómez’s revelation isn’t an isolated case as another ATP player recently spoke out about his own mental health struggles, highlighting the unseen battles that come with life in professional tennis time and time again.

“I’m just neutral, not happy, not bad”: Andrey Rubelv opens up about mental health issues

Andrey Rublev, the current 9th seed, fresh off a triumphant run at the Qatar Open, faced a crushing defeat in the Dubai Open’s R32. Despite clinching the first set against Quentin Halys, the Russian ace faltered in the next two, ultimately bowing out of the tournament in a surprising upset at the start of the tournament.

However, ahead of the match, the 27-year-old Russian opened up about his struggles with depression, shedding light on the mental toll of the sport. “I was just kind of in a loop, lost with myself for a couple of years, not finding the way, not understanding what to do, what for? It sounds a bit dramatic, like what’s the reason or purpose to live?” he added. Even after reaching a career-high ranking of 5th in 2021, Rublev admitted to feeling “out of order” which deeply affected his game and mindset.

In a candid revelation, he shared that he had been on ‘antidepressants’ for a year, only to realize they weren’t making a difference. It wasn’t until an important conversation with former top seed Marat Safin that he found a turning point in his mental battle. Reflecting on that moment, Rublev stated, “I’m just neutral, not happy, not bad, but at least I found the base, and that’s like a beginning.” 

Opening up about mental health issues takes tremendous bravery, and for professional tennis athletes under constant public scrutiny, it’s an even greater challenge. The experiences shared by Argentine Gómez and the Russian Rublev shed light on the silent struggles many players endure behind the scenes, which we never see. Their readiness to speak out is not only a step toward their own healing, but it also serves as a powerful catalyst to reshape the discussion around mental health in tennis.