Jenson Brooksby, 24, courageously shared a deeply personal piece of information with the public. Brooksby was once one of the up-and-comers in US men’s tennis. He has been sidelined for two years for injuries and a suspension for missing three doping tests within 12 months. Brooksby is returning to the ATP Tour in 2025 with a Challengers event to warm up before the 2025 Australian Open.
A very brave statement from Jenson Brooksby: pic.twitter.com/TSZc88H1Ig
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) December 19, 2024
Brooksby admitted that he has dealt with autism his entire life. It was so severe as a child that he could not speak until he was four years old. Extensive work and therapy over the years have greatly helped him. He is now considered on the mild end of the spectrum.
What Jenson Brooksby Said About Autism Affecting His Tennis
Brooksby’s autism diagnosis provided positives and negatives for his tennis career. On the positive end, the disorder allows him to hone in on a select few things in a match to work on. The negative side is that he is prone to lose his patience on the court if things are not going well. During his matches, his team is tuned into his body language and mannerisms, such as tugging at his shirt, and hair, or hanging his head to see if an angry outburst may follow.
Brooksby wrestled with the decision to share his diagnosis with the public. He feared what people would think. In the end, he shared it so that people understand him better. It will also inspire other athletes dealing with an autism disorder to reach for their goals.
Kudos to Jenson Brooksby for sharing this information. He has gained a lot of fans both within tennis and outside of the sport for doing so.
