By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 7, 2020
Sweden legend Robin Soderling has opened up about his mental illness and pledged to be a part of a brighter future for athletes who suffer.
Photo Source: AP
Robin Soderling lost his place at the top of men’s tennis due to an illness that eventually ended his career. Now, after much time to gather his strength and peace of mind, the former World No. 4 is speaking out and sharing his experiences in the name of mental health.
Soderling left a long post on Instagram today to let fans know that he is feeling healthy, and perhaps better than he ever has.
“Putting pressure on yourself and working very hard can be very rewarding,” Soderling wrote. “But if you cross that thin line—if you don’t listen to your body and give it time to recharge and recover, it can ruin your career, and your life.”
Soderling, who was diagnosed with Mononucleosis in 2011, won four titles in seven months that season. He started the season at 18-1 and finished the season at 38-9. But he would never play again.
“People around me have urged me to speak about my health journey earlier,” wrote Soderling. “But I waited until I felt ready and completely healed.”
“It’s time to address mental illness amongst professional athletes, and this time do something about it,” he wrote. “Data shows that up to one in three elite athletes suffer from mental health issues which can manifest as stress, eating disorders, burnout, depression and anxiety. We need to start discussing it and make sure that the next generation of athletes will come better prepared than myself.”