Professional tennis demands more than strong technique and physical fitness. Players must travel frequently, manage demanding schedules and maintain consistent results throughout a season that can stretch across most of the year.

For athletes outside the top rankings, those expectations can become especially difficult because financial uncertainty often leaves them with fewer opportunities to rest.

Terence Atmane Opens Up About His Struggles

French player Terence Atmane became one of the latest examples of the pressure facing competitors outside the leading group. During a qualifying match at the Shanghai Masters in October, he threw his racket towards the spectator area, narrowly missing people nearby. He later apologised for his behaviour and discussed the personal difficulties he had been experiencing.

Atmane explained that the long season and a significant fall in his ranking had affected his mental well-being. His position had dropped close to the edge of the world's top 100, adding pressure at a time when he was already struggling.

His appearance at the Almaty Open offered some encouragement. Reaching the quarter-finals helped him improve his ranking to No. 90. The result gave him an opportunity to regain momentum, although he acknowledged that getting back on track after a difficult period was not easy.

Why Lower-Ranked Players Face Greater Pressure

Former professional player and sports psychologist Jeff Greenwald explained that competitors lower down the rankings often face a combination of financial and psychological difficulties. Higher-ranked athletes may have coaches, fitness specialists and other staff helping them organise travel, training and tournament schedules. Players with fewer resources frequently have to manage more of these responsibilities themselves.

The financial situation can also influence decisions about taking time away from competition. Each tournament offers an opportunity to collect ranking points and prize money. A stronger ranking can provide access to more valuable events, potentially improving a player's future earnings.

This creates a difficult situation. Someone who is physically tired or mentally overwhelmed may still feel pressure to enter another competition because missing an event could affect their career prospects. Without enough support, taking a necessary break can seem like a risk rather than a normal part of maintaining performance.

Other Players Have Shared Similar Experiences

Atmane is not the only tennis player to discuss the emotional cost of a demanding schedule. Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has also spoken about depression and burnout. He described travelling to North America after Wimbledon despite not feeling mentally prepared to compete.

India's Sumit Nagal experienced a difficult period while playing several tournaments without being fully fit. He later shifted his attention towards enjoying the sport instead of allowing results to determine his entire experience. On the women's circuit, Germany's Eva Lys decided to finish her season earlier than planned so she could concentrate on her physical and mental well-being.

The Effect of Results on Confidence

Physical exhaustion is only one part of the problem. A series of disappointing performances can also affect how players view their abilities. Greenwald explained that tennis competitors can become overly focused on whether they win or lose. When several defeats occur close together, players may begin questioning not only their technique but also their overall ability.

This way of thinking can make it harder to recover from setbacks. Instead of treating one match as a single performance, athletes may connect the result to their personal sense of success. Greenwald suggested placing greater attention on elements players can control. Preparation, commitment to training and following a performance plan can provide more reliable measures of progress than rankings or prize money alone.

Proposed Changes to the Tennis Calendar

The ATP has proposed adjustments to the men's tour structure from 2028. The plans aim to reshape the calendar and ranking system, reducing some of the incentives that encourage players to compete too frequently.

However, changes to tournament schedules alone may not solve every problem. Players still need sufficient time to recover, access to appropriate support and a healthier relationship with performance expectations. Greenwald emphasised that rest should be treated as an important part of maintaining a long career, rather than something athletes only consider when they are already exhausted.

The proposed ATP adjustments may offer some relief in the future, but long-term improvement also depends on recognising recovery and mental well-being as essential parts of professional sport. A successful career requires more than the ability to keep competing; it also requires the opportunity to remain healthy enough to continue.