Hurdles in top-class sport

“You can’t go out and let your hair down”

Ex-tennis pro Barbara Schett has spoken about the challenges of top-class sport today.(Bild: GEPA)

Tennis is one of the biggest sports in the world, but only a few make it to fame and glory. There are more hurdles in the way than in the past. This is also due to social media, where players are confronted with insults and sometimes even death threats. Austria's former top ten player Barbara Schett-Eagle is glad she didn't have to start her active career now. However, she says mental problems are not a new phenomenon.

In September 2023, Tamira Paszek made it public via Instagram that she had received a death threat. Many other ÖTV players have also received a lot of hate online, which has been a big issue for many years. "I'm glad that I wasn't confronted with social media stories at all in my time," emphasized Schett-Eagle. The Tyrolean is still the best red-white-red player in history, having climbed to seventh place in the rankings on September 13, 1999.

Tamira Paszek(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"It's certainly more difficult now, the challenges are greater," said the three-time WTA tournament winner. For example, due to an ever-growing tournament schedule, especially with various exhibition matches or new events, and the fact that the players are exposed to ever greater "surveillance". "There are cameras or microphones in every corner of the court, everything is picked up and with social media it goes around the world in seconds, for example when someone chops a racket. It's extreme pressure because you always have to be in control," said the 48-year-old.

"People didn't talk about it"
This is also true off the court, where there is also the fear of saying the wrong thing. "You can't go out, dance at the table and let your hair down because someone will take a cell phone and make a video of you. That causes extreme stress, and not everyone can deal with that." Introverted people in particular would "certainly" break down again and again. Depression is also often the result; Naomi Osaka from Japan cited this as the reason for her break in 2021. Sports psychologists and mental coaches therefore play a more important role than ever.

"Mental problems used to exist to a certain extent, but people didn't talk about them, society in general. I used to work with a sports psychologist in the same way, but now players talk about it much more often and openly," said Schett-Eagle. She did not want to give any general advice to young players. "It's like comparing pears with apples. Everyone is different, individual, there is no one way." In general, however, it is important to distance yourself from social networks and not read too much on them.

"Tough road" with a lot of agony
"You have to be focused, have your team around you that you trust and it's very important that you don't lose your attitude to life," said the 1999 US Open quarter-finalist. Not making it to the top is the rule. "It's a tough road, it takes a lot of discipline. I've also had many days when I've tortured myself. When you train six or seven hours a day, it's tough. And yet only a few make it to the top of the world."

Austrian women's tennis in particular has been waiting a long time for a new top player. "I believe that fewer girls generally play sport than boys. That's where the problem starts. The girls care about how they look on social media, how they are portrayed and they are afraid to compare themselves," explained Schett-Eagle, who is now a successful advertising medium, brand ambassador, presenter and reporter. It is therefore all the more important that the children receive the necessary support at school and at home on their career path.