Federico Gomez Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles, Receives Support from Novak Djokovic
Federico Gomez’s heartfelt message about his mental health battle has resonated deeply in the tennis world, catching the attention of Novak Djokovic. Now, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has sent a message of encouragement to the Argentine player.
In an emotional Instagram post over the weekend, the 28-year-old revealed that he had “hit rock bottom.” The three-time Challenger winner also admitted to experiencing moments where he questioned the purpose of living.
“The last six months have been some of the hardest that I have had to live as a human being,” Gomez wrote.
“Living with thoughts of leaving tennis completely, of really questioning if all this is really worth it, and even on several occasions having suicidal thoughts, which is very difficult for me to express.”
The Argentine also described how he was “crying my eyes out” while writing the message, but ultimately felt it was the right decision to share his struggle:
“I think it is the best decision I could have made at this time to get rid of this heavy weight that I feel on me and that eats my head 24/7.”
Djokovic Responds with a Message of Strength
Djokovic shared Gomez’s Instagram post on his Instagram Story, offering words of support:
“Strength, friend. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Even before Djokovic’s message, other well-known figures in the tennis community had reached out to support Gomez.
- Boris Becker took to X (formerly Twitter), urging Gomez to reach out if he needed someone to talk to or sought advice.
- Paula Badosa, who has previously opened up about battling major depression early in her career, encouraged the Argentine to keep fighting, assuring him that better days were ahead.
Meanwhile, Gomez returned to action on Monday, playing in the Indian Wells qualifiers, where he fell in his opening match against Rudy Quan.
