Joe Salisbury Pauses Tennis Career Amid Anxiety Challenges

Post by : Mara Rahim

Joe Salisbury, a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion, has revealed plans to take a break from tennis for several months. Expressing his struggles with intense anxiety that has affected both his mind and body, Salisbury detailed his need for time away from the game during an interview with BBC Sport. He anticipates not returning before April.

This year, Salisbury found his anxiety increasingly challenging to manage, experiencing heart palpitations that felt as if his heart was racing throughout his body. Often, he described feeling shaky as if he were vibrating, making it difficult for him to enjoy the sport he loves or even focus on playing.

He noted that he sometimes felt nauseous, impacting his appetite and sleep. These symptoms would arise unpredictably throughout the year, inducing feelings of fear and apprehension before matches.

Despite being able to maintain a high level of play, he acknowledged that the emotional toll of his anxiety was becoming overwhelming. While he could manage his anxiety on the court, it required significant energy, detracting from the enjoyment of competition. Many tournaments this season left him feeling emotionally unwell, even with on-court success.

Salisbury has had a successful year with his doubles partner Neal Skupski, finishing as runners-up in six tournaments, including both the French Open and U.S. Open and reaching the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, where they lost to Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.

In 2022, Salisbury achieved a career highlight when he ascended to the world No. 1 doubles ranking, becoming only the third British man to achieve such a distinction, following in the footsteps of Andy and Jamie Murray. He concluded this year ranked No. 10 in the world.

However, despite his accomplishments, Salisbury recognized that continuing to compete without addressing his anxiety would only exacerbate his condition. He is set to miss the Australian Open in January due to this necessary break.

Salisbury mentioned that prior to this, he hadn’t discussed his anxiety with many people. He hopes that by sharing his journey, it will encourage others to speak openly about their mental health struggles. He believes many athletes in tennis and other sports face similar difficulties.

Mental health has become a more prominent topic in professional tennis recently, with notable players revealing their own battles. Naomi Osaka, for instance, disclosed her struggles with depression in 2021 and chose to step back from the sport. Amanda Anisimova also took an indefinite break in 2023, citing the unbearable aspects of life on the tour.

By sharing his experiences, Salisbury joins these players in advocating for more candid discussions about mental health in sports.