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Amanda Anisimova has received an outpouring of support from fellow tennis players Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff, among others, after announcing her decision to take a break from the sport and focus on her mental health.
On Friday, May 5, Anisimova opened up about struggling with her mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022. She stated that being at tennis tournaments had become an "unbearable" experience for her.
"Hey guys. I thought I’d make a post explaining what’s been going on and my plans. I’ve really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022. It’s become unbearable being at tennis tournaments," she captioned a post on Instagram.
Anisimova also talked about her decision to prioritize her mental well-being by taking a break from tennis, and thanked her fans for their continued support.
"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. I will miss being out there, and I appreciate all the continuous support," she added.
Fellow tennis players Jabeur, Madison Keys, Gauff, Badosa, Priscilla Hon, Martina Trevisan, Monica Puig, Harriet Dart and Elena-Gabriela Ruse all extended their support to Anisimova and commented with heart emojis under her post.
Australian tennis player Arina Rodionova penned a heartfelt message for the American, urging her to enjoy a "well-deserved break."
"Most of your followers will disagree with me, but there is a lot more to life than tennis. Enjoy well deserved break and come back whenever you feel like it, tour isn’t going anywhere," Rodionova said.
How Amanda Anisimova has fared during the 2023 season
Amanda Anisimova has struggled for form this year. The American commenced her season at the Adelaide International 1, losing to Veronika Kudermetova in the first round.
Anisimova had a better showing at the Adelaide International 2, reaching the Round of 16, where she fell to Beatriz Haddad Maia in straight sets.
After a first-round exit from the Australian Open, the 21-year-old breezed past Vera Zvonareva before narrowly losing out against Victoria Azarenka at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
She was unable to get going at the Sunshine Double events in Indian Wells and Miami, as she faced first-round exits from both tournaments.
Anisimova began her claycourt season at the WTA 1000 Madrid Open, where she lost her opening match to Arantxa Rus in straight sets. She holds a 3-7 win/loss record in 2023.
