As Ons Jabeur steps back from tennis, why more athletes are prioritising mental health

Behind rankings and championships, more sport stars are stepping away to address the psychological strain of competing at the highest level

Tunisia's Ons Jabeur has reached three Grand Slam finals in three years. AFP

Ons Jabeur is the latest star athlete to step back from her sport to focus on her mental wellbeing.

“For the past two years I've been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and facing many other challenges. But, deep down, I haven't felt happy on court for some time now,” Jabeur, 30, posted on social media on Thursday. “Tennis is such a beautiful sport. But right now I feel it's time to take a step back and finally put myself first: to breathe, to heal and to rediscover the joy of simply living.”

Though the Tunisian tennis player may be the most recent to make such a move, she is far from alone.

A growing number of elite performers, across several sports, have also chosen to prioritise their emotional and psychological health and it doesn't appear to be a trend that will go away anytime soon.

In 2021, Naomi Osaka made headlines when she withdrew from the French Open, citing anxiety and depression. That same year, American gymnast Simone Biles stepped back from the all-around final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to the “twisties,” a dangerous mental block that afflicts gymnasts. Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty followed, taking a break from the sport due to burnout and mental exhaustion after years of intense training and pressure.

Simone Biles famously stepped back from the all-around competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. AP

“While the public often associates sport with passion, play and vitality, elite athletes face a paradox: the very thing that once brought joy can become a source of stress, pressure and disconnection,” Christi Gadd, a clinical psychologist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre in Dubai, tells The National.

Jabeur, who has ranked as high as No 2 in the WTA world rankings and reached three Grand Slam finals in as many years, has spoken openly about the emotional toll.

The same traits that make athletes successful – perfectionism, intense drive – can increase mental health vulnerabilities

Dr Salman Kareem,
specialist psychiatrist at Aster Royal Clinic

“[I will] definitely try to disconnect a little bit from tennis and try to just enjoy life outside tennis, recover and spend a little bit of time with the family and hopefully that could recharge me. Definitely ‘rest’ is the word for it,” Jabeur said at a press conference after retiring from her first-round match due to injury at this year’s Wimbledon on June 30.

Jabeur's decision to take a break has opened up a deeper conversation around the emotional cost of competing at the highest level and how that pressure can quietly build over time.

“Many believe athletes have success and that should equal happiness. In reality, the same traits that make athletes successful – perfectionism, intense drive – can increase mental health vulnerabilities,” adds Dr Salman Kareem, specialist psychiatrist at Aster Royal Clinic, Downtown and Aster Clinic, JLT. “Athletes are humans and experience the same range of emotions as everyone else, but increased in global stage and massive pressures.”

That pressure only intensifies with greater success and visibility, says Gadd. Jabeur has become a household name in the region and around the world during her pursuit to become the first Arab and first African woman to lift a Grand Slam trophy.

“Performance pressure is not just about winning. It’s about sustaining peak output, meeting sponsorship obligations, handling media attention and managing public criticism,” Gadd says.

“In the era of social media, this pressure is amplified. Athletes are no longer evaluated only by coaches and selectors, but also by millions of online spectators, many of whom comment with little empathy or insight. These dehumanising dynamics can chip away at self-esteem and promote perfectionism, fear of failure and emotional suppression.”

During the 2023 Wimbledon final, Jabeur entered as the favourite and believed she could win. But, as she later revealed, the match carried a deeper emotional weight – one that went far beyond the title.

“People think I have this pressure because I want to do it for other people, which is not true. There was a personal thing going on there,” Jabeur revealed in the 2024 documentary This Is Me, which followed her journey through the 2023 tennis season, including the Wimbledon final. “I win that [final], I could have a baby right away. And that dream faded. I was haunted by fear. After all, I’m just a human being, what can I do more?”

Jabeur, who has long spoken about her desire to start a family with her husband, Karim, admitted that the emotional stakes made the loss all the more devastating.

Ons Jabeur called the Wimbledon 2023 loss the 'most painful' of her career. PA

“It was the toughest loss of my career because emotionally it destroyed me, not only winning Wimbledon, but the idea of having a baby just vanished with the trophy of Wimbledon. So I think that’s what killed me and Karim, we were crying like babies.”

Jabeur’s emotional reaction just after Wimbledon reflects what many athletes silently endure – the psychological toll of relentless pressure, both on and off the court.

“Chronic performance pressure activates the body's stress response system continuously, leading to mental fatigue, sleep disruption and emotional dysregulation,” explains Dr Kareem. “Athletes may lose the joy in their sport and experience symptoms similar to chronic stress disorders. This pressure can create a cycle where declining performance increases anxiety, further impacting performance.

Gadd notes that mental health struggles also often begin well before they’re acknowledged, either by the athlete or their support team. The early signs can be subtle: a loss of motivation, emotional numbness, disrupted sleep or eating patterns, or persistent injuries.

“Athletes are trained to endure and ‘push through’, which can delay help-seeking,” she adds. “Emotional distress may only be recognised when performance dips or physical symptoms become unmanageable. This highlights the need for early psychological support as an integral part of training, not just as crisis intervention.”

While many children grow up dreaming of becoming elite athletes, stories like Jabeur’s offer a glimpse into the mental strain that often stays behind the scenes.

“When someone at the top says: ‘I stepped back to rediscover joy’, it reminds us all that performance and pleasure can co-exist – and that stepping back isn’t giving up, but a step towards something deeper,” says Gadd.

Dr Kareem adds: “When athletes like Ons Jabeur share their experiences, it normalises mental health struggles and encourages others to seek help. This openness reduces stigma and shows that prioritising mental health is a sign of strength, not weakness.”