Former world No. 32 Sara Sorribes Tormo announced Thursday that she’s taking a break from professional tennis that may become permanent, pointing to mental and physical health struggles.
The 28-year-old, known for her intense, defense-centered style of play, made the announcement in a candid hand-written letter posted to Instagram, where she confessed she’s been “suffering for many months” on court.
“The cheerful and happy Sara that you see off the court is far from the reality of everything I carry inside,” she wrote. “I’ve lost the excitement to train, to improve, and even to go to tournaments. The moments of suffering far outweigh those of calm, and this is coming from someone who has always loved to work, improve, and compete.
“That’s why, in addition to needing help, I feel that I need to stop and rest. I don’t know if it will be permanent or temporary. I want to be coherent and consistent with what my body feels.”
Currently ranked No. 85, Sorribes Tormo has famously played more than 20 WTA-level matches that have lasted three hours or more in the last four years, with a four-hour, 15-minute win in Beijing last fall clocking in as the fourth-longest match of the Open Era.
