It has been a couple of tumultuous years for Jenson Brooksby, the star player who in 2022 reached two finals on the ATP tour and was ranked 33rd in the world.
Injuries, several operations, and a doping ban for missing reporting requirements put his career on hold.
Brooksby was banned for 18 months – a penalty that was later shortened to 13 months after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Many bad things happened at the same time. It was a lot to handle mentally, says Brooksby.
Now, almost two years later, he is preparing for his comeback. Part of the preparations involves being open for the first time about what it's like to live and play with autism.
Started talking late
It's obviously a private matter, it was something I didn't want to talk about for a long time. But I've always thought about it, and eventually I just wanted to tell, he says.
He tells us that he didn't start talking until he was four years old. As a child, he spent 40 hours a week with therapists to get started with speaking, and then to develop both verbally and socially.
Brooksby refers to his autism as "a great strength in pressured situations" on the tennis court, for example, it helps him to focus on specific details over a long period.
But it's not just a strength. Autism also manifests itself through outbursts when the game isn't working, which can be both about him being on the verge of losing and about details in his technique not working as they should.
"It's just a part of me"
Coach Paul Kinney keeps an eye out for signs from Brooksby, such as him fiddling with his clothes or hair, or leaning forward with his hands on his knees, to know if an outburst is on its way.
That Brooksby is now, ahead of his competitive comeback, talking about his diagnosis is about him wanting people to understand him – both the players he meets and the tennis audience.
I just want people to know who I really am, and that it's just a part of me. I've been away from the game for so long and had a lot of time to think about it, says Brooksby.
Facts: Autism
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Autism is a so-called neuropsychiatric disorder (NPD) that affects the brain's way of handling information, and can manifest in different ways in different people.
It affects, for example, how one learns new things and communicates with others, and how one functions socially.
It can also affect how one perceives sensory impressions, such as sight, hearing, or touch. Sometimes, motor skills are also affected.
Autism is something you are born with. Exactly why one gets autism is not clear, but it is partially hereditary.
Source: 1177.
