Patrick Kühnen is quite concerned about the mental state of some top players. The former Davis Cup captain advises professionals to take more breaks.
In view of the large number of exhausted and injured players in the late stages of the season, former Davis Cup captain Patrik Kühnen has advised professionals to be more mindful of their mental health.
“The issue of break time is important,” said Kühnen on Wednesday during the SID mixed zone presented by Sky on the occasion of World Mental Health Day (October 10): “When do I need to take time off? How long can the breaks be?”
According to Kühnen, recovery phases are “very important, both physically and mentally. And the trick is for the player to work with their coach to develop and find the best way to do this,“ said the three-time Davis Cup champion, ”to set the points so that when I need it and when I want to play my best, I can also be at my physical and mental best.”
More and more tennis stars are complaining about mental problems
There is no universal approach, said Kühnen (59), who was one of the first professionals to work with a sports psychologist: “I think it’s important for each individual to find out what they need to do in order to achieve their individual goals for the season.”
Recently, top stars in the industry have also increasingly reported psychological and mental problems. After his early exit from Wimbledon, Alexander Zverev spoke of “emptiness, loneliness, and a lack of joy.” US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz felt the burden of “emotional challenges.”
