Struggle against Autism and career high of World number 33: How US tennis player Jenson Brooks tackled brain condition | Tennis News

Former world number 33 and the youngest American to reach the US Open fourth round in the last 23 years, 24-year-old Jenson Brooks has opened up about his struggles with autism and the challenges he faces while coping with it on the professional front. The American tennis player, who was out of the professional circuit for the last two years due to an injury as well a doping ban due to missing drugs tests, spoke about his time as a young child with autism.
“My whole life with my parents, it wasn’t something you are very comfortable sharing because there could be consequences – especially when I was younger. But I’ve learned as I’ve grown up that even with people close to me, the response is very casual and not much is thought about it. I think my desire to be able to help other people with it in certain scenarios – say, if they are trying to become a professional player – was bigger than any negative outcome I could have thought of. I really hope that future players, whether they are vocal about it or not, they at least know it’s OK for them to struggle with it and hopefully be able to explain why,” Brooks told BBC Sport.
The American tennis player had received intensive therapy starting at the age of two years. The youngster, who was named after Formula driver Jenson Button his parents, had made his Grand Slam debut with a wild card entry in the US Open in 2018. He lost to eventual quarter-final John Millman in the first round but the next three years saw him winning a first-round match in US Open in 2019 apart from three Challenger trophies and an ATP Tour final before he reached the quarter-final of the 2021 US Open where he lost to then world number on Novak Djokovic. His feat made him the youngest American to reach the US Open fourth round since Andy Roddick achieved the same feat in 2002. “Sport was a big release for me. If I sit for a long time I can have a lot of energy bottled up, and so being a very active kid really lets it out. I always wanted to train to try to be good at something. Even at that age, I think I had that mindset of competing and to be good at something.” Brooks said.
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Nine months after the US Open quarter-final appearance, Brooks reached his career-high world ranking of 33. But months later, the youngster was banned for 18 months International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) The ban enforced due to Brooks missing three out of competition drugs tests was reduced to 13 months followed the youngster undergoing surgery on both wrs and a shoulder problem. Brooks had told an independent tribunal that he had declined invitations to learn more about the anti-doping rules and the responsibility was delegated to his adviser Amrit Narasimhan. “I’ve had my agent keep track of where I will be every day, because it’s hard for my brain to be able to focus well on many different things. It’s a positive for me to be able to focus on a few simple things. But a downside is that there can be so many things going on for us players it’s hard for my mind to be able to wrap around that. I have had so much time to reflect on it, and it’s in the past. I’m pretty much at peace with it. I think all of us have things that we have been a little disappointed in, and it can be pretty frustrating, but I don’t really think about it any more. If it ever pops into my mind I just use it as a reminder to try to get better,” said the youngster.
The American is currently ranked 937 in the world and had lost in the third round in BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells with a loss against eventual winner Jack Draper. Brooks shared about his state of mind at present. “If, for example, I have any doubts about my body on court, or I’m feeling a little bit more pain, I will always tell myself I am healthy and strong. I’m able to keep my focus pretty well in higher pressure moments and not get dracted external things like the crowd, the wind, if people are standing up. I’m a lot better now than I was four or five years ago. Make no make, Jenson is a highly intelligent individual. I needed to make changes to communicate effectively, and be more patient with my communication,” said Brooks.
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