He in Paris, she in Paros: How bad is it that Sophia Thomalla can’t support her friend Alexander Zverev at the French Open? BUNTE.de asked sports psychologists.
This afternoon Alexander Zverev (25) is playing in Paris for a place in the final of the French Open. His opponent is none other than Rafael Nadal (36) – who is already considered by many to be the favorite of the match. And with such an important game of all things, his girlfriend, presenter and model Sophia Thomalla (32) is not by his side. As her management BUNTE.de confirmed, Sophia continues to shoot for RTL on the Greek island of Paros and cannot support her loved one on site in Paris. But how bad is it for a top athlete like Zverev when his girlfriend isn’t with him? BUNTE.de asked two sports psychologists.
It’s been official since autumn 2021: tennis star Alexander Zverev is the new man at Sophia’s side. How in love the moderator is with her boyfriend, who is seven years younger, she shows again and again on Instagram – or even on the sidelines herself. Because Sophia often accompanies her sweetheart to his tournaments. Just not today. “Another Greek salad after seven weeks in Greece and I’ll have a nervous breakdown,” the 32-year-old wrote on her Instagram post yesterday. Pretty in Pink shows her mega body in a skin-tight summer dress and adds: “And yes, I miss my friends and family like crazy.” Certainly her Alex, who could use her support today.
“It’s ideal when an athlete doesn’t care who is in the audience and who accompanies them,” explains psychologist Anke Precht in the BUNTE.de interview. “In reality, however, the presence or absence of certain people plays a role for most athletes.” There are athletes who perform better when they know their partner is watching. Especially when you’re deeply in love, “being there can often give you a huge boost.” Kathrin Seufert, a sports psychologist from Bremen, agrees with her colleague.
“Of course it can help if a partner is in the audience. Especially when the athlete can’t call up his skills perfectly or he is thrown off balance by boos,” the expert explains to BUNTE.de. “Then a look at the audience can help to find himself again.” This possibility remains Alexander Zverev unfortunately denied today – his Sophia can only keep her fingers crossed for him from Paros.
But that can also help a lot, explains the expert. “I can imagine that Sophia has a positive effect on Zverev – but I also believe that he knows that she supports him, even if she is not there live.” Kathrin Seufert knows from her experience: “It feels good knowing that you have a girlfriend at home who loves you – regardless of the result.” And Anke Precht even goes one step further: “Zverev lived and played without Sophia for a long time. I don’t think he’ll suddenly depend on her being around to access his abilities.”
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The original of this post “Sports psychologists on the absence of Sophia Thomalla: “Of course it can help if a partner is in the audience”” comes from Bunte.de.
