Former world number one Chris Evert has called for discussions on the toll tennis is taking on players' mental health following a spate of angry outbursts and emotional breakdowns on court.
"I'm not making any judgements on the players, but it's an area of concern: why are players losing control and breaking racquets and putting others in harm's way?" Evert told Eurosport. Four-times major winner Naomi Osaka brought the issue of athletes' mental health into the spotlight when she pulled out of Grand Slam events and chunks of the 2021 season.