GREAT BRITAIN tennis ace Joe Salisbury has announced he is taking a break from tennis due to struggles with anxiety.
The 33-year-old is a six-time Grand Slam winner in the doubles game and a former world number one but will not be back on court until at least April.
In an interview with BBC Sport, he said: “I’ve had heart palpitations, a feeling of your heart beating all around your body.
“You feel like your body is almost a bit shaky, almost like your whole body is vibrating a little bit.”
Salisbury continued: “It’s been tough to deal with at times and it’s made me not want to be playing and competing at times throughout the year.
“It’s definitely a lot in the stomach – you feel sick to your stomach.
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“I’ve been struggling to sleep and then, because of the feeling in the stomach, struggling to eat well, eat enough.
“It’s almost like a feeling of dread – that something bad is going to happen.”
The London-born ace added: “I wouldn’t say it affected my tennis that much.
“We’ve played well, especially the past six months. I feel like I’ve dealt with it well and managed to get myself into a good enough state on court to perform well in most of the matches that I have played.
“But I think it’s taken an extra toll emotionally and mentally to do that.
“It’s meant that it’s just not been enjoyable being at a lot of the tournaments that I have played.”
Salisbury played the full season with partner Neal Skupski, failing to win a title but coming runners-up at six different tournaments.
The pair were beaten finalists at the French and US Open as well as last week’s year-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
Salisbury admitted that he did not open up about his issues publicly but it has not stopped them taking a significant toll.
He said: “I haven’t spoken to too many people about the struggles that I have had – mainly my team, friends and family, so not too many people in the tennis world.
“I think a lot of people don’t want to share too much because they don’t want other people to know about that when you are having to go and compete against them.
“But to be honest I don’t really mind if people do know.
“I’m sure it’s something which a lot of other people are having to deal with and I don’t think it would have any impact on me, as if anything over the past year it’s made me mentally stronger than before.”
The right-hander has spent 11 years on the pro circuit, reaching the summit in 2022 and claiming 17 titles along the way.
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He is only the second British doubles player to reach world No.1 after Jamie Murray in 2016.
Salisbury will not be at the Australian Open in January due to his break.
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