Mental health issues are common in elite sport, and tennis is no exception. Following statements from Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu, who spoke openly about their struggles, Tennis Canada will this morning unveil the broad outlines of a strategy that took 15 months to develop and aims to address direct mental health issues among athletes.
This project, developed in collaboration with the School of Human Kinetics of the University of Ottawa as well as the Canadian Center for Mental Health and Sport (CCSMS), specifically aims to improve the well-being of athletes at various levels, coaches and all members , which have to do with Tennis Canada.
It is based in particular on scientific findings; The data will be compiled and used to refine the Mental Health Strategy for High Performance Sport in Canada, launched by the CCSMS in 2021.
“As a former player, I wish I had this plan when I played,” admitted Valérie Tétreault, who now serves as director of the National Bank Open. Above all, to ensure the transition between the junior and professional areas.”
In her opinion, this is one of the most psychologically difficult periods in a tennis player's career.
“When you play as a junior, you are under the supervision of the association. When you travel, it's part of a tour and so, even though it remains an individual sport, you are surrounded by other Canadian players and have a bit of the feeling of being part of a team. If you make the transition to the pros, you'll do it alone unless you have a big team with you. You find yourself among many other players, often older than you, who have the goal of earning a living.”
The example of Andreescu
In Andreescu's case, it's not necessarily the transition to the pros, but rather a mix of injuries and growing attention brought by her success, her US Open victory and the pandemic that led to her taking a break had to do her sport.
This is one example among many, but when it is a Grand Slam winner who talks about it, the impact on other players increases tenfold, Tétreault believes.
“We have invested a lot for years to get the best out of each athlete, even though we have repeatedly emphasized that tennis is 80% in the mind.
“The tools available to them today could help them stay in sport longer. When I played, I didn't have much balance. It was tennis, tennis, tennis and that led to me retiring early to find a better balance.”
A multi-stage plan
The plan drawn up by Tennis Canada in collaboration with its partners therefore aims, among other things, to help everyone involved in elite tennis maintain balance through training, increased support and various resources available.
In addition, a doctoral student from the University of Ottawa will be responsible for the collection of research data by supervising this project, which will be used in the National Tennis Center and the Canadian teams from 2024, in the competition structures from 2025, and in provincial clubs and academies until 2026.