Frenchman Terence Atmane’s admission that he has been struggling with his mental health after an outburst at last?month’s Shanghai Masters highlighted the pressures lower-ranked tennis players face as another demanding season draws to a close.
Atmane threw his racket toward?the stands and narrowly missed striking fans in a qualifying match before apologizing publicly for his conduct and detailing the stress of a sharp drop in his ranking to the edge of the top 100.
The closing weeks of a grueling 11-month campaign can be particularly difficult for lower-ranked players, as fatigue and poor results collide with the pressure to compete for ranking points and prize money that could transform their prospects.
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