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.
“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.
“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.”
The%20specs
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications – CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation – to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniThe specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsKey facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia – Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Remaining fixtures
August 29 – UAE v Saudi Arabia, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
September 5 – Iraq v UAE, Amman, Jordan (venue TBC)
EXPATS
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Killing of Qassem SuleimaniTHE BIO
Age: 33
Favourite quote: “If you’re going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill
Favourite breed of dog: All of them. I can’t possibly pick a favourite.
Favourite place in the UAE: The Stray Dogs Centre in Umm Al Quwain. It sounds predictable, but it honestly is my favourite place to spend time. Surrounded by hundreds of dogs that love you – what could possibly be better than that?
Favourite colour: All the colours that dogs come in
Sole survivors
Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
How to apply for a drone permit
Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request
What are the regulations?
Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniMore on animal traffickingMore on Quran memorisation:The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniWhat can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support