American Amanda Anisimova announced Friday that she’ll be taking an indefinite break from tennis, citing burnout and concerns for her mental health.
"I've really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022," the former World No.21 wrote on Instagram. “It's become unbearable being at tennis tournaments. At this point, my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time. I've worked as hard as I could to push through it."
A champion at the junior US Open in 2017, Anisimova, now 21, broke through on the Hologic WTA Tour with aplomb at Roland Garros four years ago, where she dethroned reigning champion Simona Halep to reach the semifinals at age 17 -- the youngest woman to get that far at a major since 2006.
But later that year, just prior to the US Open, she suffered the loss of her father and longtime coach Konstantin, who passed away at age 52 of a heart attack.
“This is obviously the hardest thing I’ve had to go through and the hardest thing that’s ever happened to me, and I don’t really talk about it with anyone,” she told the New York Times in 2020. “The only thing that has helped me is just playing tennis and being on the court. That’s what makes me happy, and I know it would make him happy, so that’s the way it is.”
Anisimova also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon 12 months ago, upsetting Coco Gauff on Centre Court en route. She twice reached the fourth round of the Australian Open as well, and beat defending champion Naomi Osaka at the 2022 event in Melbourne.
Anisimova, a winner of two WTA singles titles, gave no timetable for her return on her post, but thanked fans for their support. Currently ranked No.46, Anisimova lost in the first round of the Mutua Madrid Open last week to Arantxa Rus.
She was 3-8 for the season at the time of her announcement.
"I will miss being out there, and I appreciate all the continuous support," Anisimova wrote.
