Chris Evert attends the International Tennis Hall of Fame Legends Ball at Cipriani 42nd Street on September 7, 2019 in New York City. Kris Connor/Getty Images for the International Tennis Hall of Fame/AFP
Former world number one Chris Evert has called for discussions about the toll tennis is taking on players’ mental health following a series of angry outbursts and emotional breakdowns on the court.
- Reuters
- Last update: April 7, 2022, 15:14 IST
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Former world number one Chris Evert has called for discussions about the toll tennis is taking on players’ mental health following a series of angry outbursts and emotional breakdowns on the court.
German Alexander Zverev was ejected from a tournament in Acapulco in February after smashing his racket into the umpire’s chair during an expletive-laden tirade, while Australian Nick Kyrgios was fined for outbursts in Indian Wells and Miami last month.
The men’s governing body the ATP warned this week of stricter punishment for misconduct on the pitch, but Evert said she is worried about the players.
“I’m not judging players, but it’s an area of concern: why do players lose control and break rackets and put others in danger?” Evert told Eurosport.
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“Why are they breaking down emotionally on the court? It is something that needs to be addressed. It is something to talk about. Tennis is a sport and it is not life”.
Former world number one Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from her match in Miami, saying she should not have played as her personal life had been “extremely stressful” in recent weeks.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka brought the issue of athletes’ mental health into the spotlight as she withdrew from Grand Slam events and parts of the 2021 season.
Kyrgios thanked Osaka for helping him deal with his issues after he spoke out about his mental health issues, saying he had suicidal thoughts during one of his “darkest” periods at the 2019 Australian Open.
World number one Iga Swiatek has opened up about the challenges she faced in dealing with her sudden fame after winning the French Open 2020 as a teenager. Now 20, the Pole credits her sports psychologist for helping her get stronger mentally.
“I realized that now a lot of tennis players have sports psychologists,” said Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles during her career.
“And having therapists and that’s becoming more and more prevalent and I think that’s great because they’re addressing their issues and it’s not easy. It is not easy to live the life of a top player”.
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