Tennis and Mental Health: The Pressure of Expectations on Players
Tennis and Mental Health: The Pressure of Expectations on...
By Jason Bolton August 08, 2024 02:00
Professional tennis tends to conjure up glamorous images of the brightest lights and biggest stages mingling in a setting dominated by elite athletes. It seems invisible, but underneath, their play results from complexities surrounding stress and expectation. In this piece, we delve into the less discussed challenges tennis players face as they battle through their mental health issues and try to find a way out of suffocating training routines and constant scrutiny from media, hoping that by bringing things here in plain sight, maybe it begins its journey toward resolution.
The Psychological Struggles of Tennis Players
Public Pressure
Tennis players are under the eye of fans, media, and sponsors. This pressure to perform all the time takes its toll and can lead to huge levels of stress and anxiety. The team also should make clear its high standards without putting players in a position to feel like they have to be perfect or aren't aggressive enough, as that can lead those student-athletes down an unhealthy line of thought. A 2019 study showed that around a third of elite athletes are coping with mental illness, anxiety, and depression.
Internal Pressures
In addition to the pressures that come from outside, players also have internal expectations. Success and trying to prevent failure can make a winning environment where your performance becomes identically linked with self-worth. Burnout is a term that describes long-term physical exhaustion caused by excessive stress and conflicting with an internal desire to have no expectations about the outcomes of these discussions. While playing sports, numerous players are pressured so much that their brain starts to have a lower limit of heartiness.
The price of aggressive training and competition.
Rigorous Training Regimens
We all know professional tennis players smash themselves in training. Players typically practice four to six hours per day, working on conditioning and skill development and training for the demands of playing mentally. The pressure of always being better than best can be very stressful for their mental health. The crippling work schedule and always raising the bar can create isolation and disconnection, as many players are nomads missing special moments at home from birth to death.
Competitive Environment
Playing tennis is a competitive thing, and this common coupling connection just further compounds how mental illness can affect someone playing the sport. Because when all is said and done, we play to our standard relative to what else is out there about their peers. The very nature of participating in a tournament under the spotlight and competition for rankings and prize money can amplify the pressure to perform well. It can leave the players with a fear of losing that becomes more powerful than their love for playing, turning passion into anxiety.
Examples of High-Profile Mental Health Struggles
Naomi Osaka
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has been open about battling mental demons. Last year, she withdrew from the French Open in part because of anxiety and depression related to what she said were media pressures on her. The conversation went global when Osaka pulled out of the competition on mental health grounds.
Serena Williams
Tennis legend Serena Williams herself has also dealt with mental health issues. She faced postpartum depression following complications with the birth of her daughter. By speaking so openly about what she was going through, she has been credited with breaking the stigma around mental health in sports and emphasizing how important it is to have better support systems for athletes.
Other Notable Cases
Marat Safin and Andrea Petkovic have also spoken about their battles with mental illness, including symptoms of anxiety and generalized depression. These stories remind us that dealing with mental health difficulties is nothing new in the sport, and all athletes, even those as successful or high-profile as them, experience similar issues.
Ways to Focus on Mental Health
Creating a Self-Care Schedule
Tennis players can gain from developing a self-care routine that, as important as physical training, also gives mental health the respect it deserves. They need self-care activities like meditation, journaling, and going outside to help manage their anxiety and remain level-headed. Making the time to self-care and introspect can build resilience and boost well-being.
Seeking Professional Help
Players can also seek help from mental health professionals, such as sports psychologists or counselors, to deal with the pressure of playing. They can assist in creating a toolkit for athletes, enhancing mental resilience, and addressing any untreated underlying issues.
Building a Support Network
Developing a support network of coaches, teammates, and family can allow the athlete to open up about feelings and experiences. When it comes to athletes, discussing mental health matters publicly can help decrease the isolation they feel and build a support network.
Normalizing Mental Health Talk in Sports
Importance of Open Dialogue
For athletes, it is key that we destigmatize conversations around mental health. Normalizing discussions about mental health is a key factor in destigmatizing it, and encouraging player talk can help normalize it. Professional athletes of all sports opening up about their battles with mental health can lead other people to get help and shine a spotlight on the seriousness of one's mental side.
Respective Role of Tennis Bodies and Coaches
Tennis organizations and coaches are important in creating a more mentally healthy environment. Introducing mental health literacy programs and resources to players can build the foundation of a culture where taking care of and prioritizing their minds is important. This is a problem, and coaches should be trained to spot and encourage common-sense discussions with their athletes about the need for mental health as much or more than physical conditioning.
How to Establish a Healthy Atmosphere
Media Responsibility
The media is just as guilty. They must represent athletes in a healthy and balanced way, where their performance isn't the only important thing. With more responsible reporting, athletes might feel less pressure to live under a microscope, and the broader competition narrative could become healthier.
Policy Changes
Actions like providing mental health days or increasing access to care-focused resources should become part of tennis organizations' organizational policies. With the right support structures in place, businesses can remove some of these issues from professional tennis.
The expectations that professional tennis places on players can take a toll on mental health. When we recognize and address issues related to mental health, the sport can collectively work together toward creating a more supportive ecosystem for athletes. Players shouldered with the task of performing on courts, who already have a heightened level of tension and pressure, need an open discussion about mental health accompanied by support systems from institutions like their workplaces along with coaches. Their health must be in the best physical and mental place, both on and off tour.
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