When this year’s Wimbledon finalist, Amanda Anisimova, took a break from tennis to focus on her mental health, many believed she would never return to the top. However, she came back with confidence, reached the year-end WTA Finals, and even played in the US Open final. She is not alone in facing such struggles. ATP star Andrey Rublev has also spoken about anxiety on court, even saying, “I don’t feel any more that crazy anxiety and stress of not understanding what to do with my life,” when reflecting on his feelings after last year’s Wimbledon. And now, a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion, Joe Salisbury, has also stepped away from the tour after experiencing an alarming anxiety scare.

Joe Salisbury, one of Britain’s most successful doubles players, has opened up about the anxiety that has been troubling him throughout the year. The 33-year-old has decided not to return to the tour before April, as his discomfort has grown stronger and led to worrying physical symptoms. He described feeling “heart palpitations, a feeling of your heart beating all around your body,” and added, “You feel like your body is almost a bit shaky, almost like your whole body is vibrating a little bit.” 

Salisbury has achieved major milestones in tennis. In 2022, he became only the second British man ever to reach world No. 1 in doubles. His career also includes six GS titles, including three US Open crowns. However, despite these achievements, the anxiety continued to follow him. He has been in therapy, but it was during a break from tournaments in Asia this autumn that he realised he needed more time away from the sport.

He explained that the anxiety often made him not want to play or compete. Much of the stress affected his stomach, causing constant nausea. “It’s definitely a lot in the stomach – you feel sick to your stomach,” he said. He also struggled with sleep and had difficulty eating properly because of the overwhelming tension. At times, he felt “almost like a feeling of dread – that something bad is going to happen.”

Despite these challenges, Salisbury’s performance on court remained strong. He recently reached the final of the ATP Finals doubles event with partner Neal Skupski. The pair beat fellow Britons Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool in the semi-finals before losing 7-5, 6-3 in the final to Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten. Salisbury said, “I wouldn’t say it affected my tennis that much,” explaining that he still managed to perform well in most matches.

But he admitted the emotional cost was heavy. “I feel like I’ve dealt with it well and managed to get myself into a good enough state on court to perform well… But I think it’s taken an extra toll emotionally and mentally to do that.” 

Salisbury also said he had kept most of his struggles private. “I haven’t spoken to too many people about the struggles that I have had – mainly my team, friends and family,” he shared. He added that players often hesitate to discuss such issues because they do not want opponents to see any weakness.

Now that he has spoken publicly, Salisbury joins a growing group of professional athletes who are open about their mental health challenges. Even before he shared his story, other ATP players had also talked about the anxiety that comes with life in competitive sports.

Grigor Dimitrov reflects honestly on his life’s darkest period

Tennis is not only about talent and physical strength. It is also a mental battle. Players often deal with pressure that pushes them beyond their limits. Many struggle with issues that fans never see. Grigor Dimitrov, the Bulgarian star, spoke about how tough the mental side of tennis can be.

In a press interaction last year, Dimitrov talked honestly about difficult moments in his life. He said it would be untrue to claim he never faced tough times. “I had severe moments of, you know, anxiety, panic attacks,” said Dimitrov. 

Dimitrov also said it helps when athletes talk to each other. “Of course, I think, you know, it helps when you can talk to people and share. Even if it’s another tennis player, I would say we all should be more open to each other.” He believes players should not hide their struggles.

He added that tennis is a very demanding and lonely sport. “I know it’s difficult, I know it’s very individual sport, I know it’s brutal. But I mean, we are all human in general today, and we are not different than anyone else,” the 33-year-old shared. His message was clear: athletes are human too.

His comments came soon after the world celebrated Mental Health Day. Dimitrov said he feels glad when athletes speak openly about mental stress. He said it should become more common. “We don’t speak about it often but I think we should. It’s not a weakness. I think it’s totally the opposite,” he added.

Now, as more players open up, mental health in tennis is getting more attention. With a new season arriving in a few months, the long grind of the tour is set to continue.