Roger Federer has alerted the tennis associations to the mental state of the players on the tour. According to the Swiss, who retired this year, life as a professional tennis player is more difficult than is assumed.
“You have to stay strong. But we are not machines, we are people,” Federer said at a rally in Tokyo. ,,The tour is tough: the travelling, the training, the jet lag. No one should say “I’m tired today” because it will make you look weak. Partly for this reason, players sometimes get mental problems.”
Australian tennis player Ashleigh Barty ended her career this year at the age of 25, when she was the best tennis star in the world. She had recently won the Australian Open. “If players retire at a very young age, I completely understand. We see it from time to time. I always find it such a shame, because so much can often happen in the future.”
During the current season, several tennis players spoke openly about their mental state, including Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios. Both did not complete a full schedule this year. “For example, we have to fill out the doping forms every day, one hour a day, wherever you are,” said 41-year-old Federer.
“In the back of your mind you are always thinking that they can come at any time. I was never really aware of it until you retire and realize all the stress is gone.”
Federer, who won twenty grand slams, retired from tennis at the Laver Cup at the end of September.
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