Six-time Grand Slam doubles champion Joe Salisbury is taking a break from tennis and isn’t planning to return earlier than April as a consequence of anxiousness.
Salisbury, who performed within the doubles showpiece alongside Neal Skupski on the ATP Finals in Turin on the weekend, dropping out to Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara, mentioned the discomfort has intensified over the course of the season.
The 33-year-old, who has received a hat-trick of US Open titles, will now be trying to take time away from the court docket for the foreseeable future.
In an interview with BBC Sport, he mentioned: “I’ve had heart palpitations, a feeling of your heart beating all around your body.
“You are feeling like your physique is nearly a bit shaky, virtually like your entire physique is vibrating a bit bit.
“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 is undoubtedly rather a lot within the abdomen – you’re feeling sick to your abdomen.
“I’ve been struggling to sleep and then, because of the feeling in the stomach, struggling to eat well, eat enough.
“It is virtually like a sense of dread – that one thing dangerous goes to occur.”
The current world No 10 continued: “I would not say it affected my tennis that a lot.
“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.
“However I feel it is taken an additional toll emotionally and mentally to do this. It is meant that it is simply not been fulfilling being at a whole lot of the tournaments that I’ve performed.”
Salisbury, who is only the second British doubles player to reach world No 1 after Jamie Murray in 2016, admitted he is happy to discuss his issues publicly, adding: “I am certain it is one thing which a whole lot of different persons are having to take care of and I do not suppose it might have any impression on me, as if something over the previous 12 months it is made me mentally stronger than earlier than.”
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