Gabriela Sabatini’s decision to retire at just 26 shocked the tennis world, but in hindsight, it reflected a deep, long-standing struggle with motivation rather than physical ability. By 1996, the Argentine star had already amassed 27 singles titles and nearly $9 million in prize money, including a memorable U.S. Open triumph in 1990. Yet despite her success, Sabatini admitted that she simply “couldn’t take it anymore.”
The source of her burnout wasn’t her body. She explained that the mental and emotional strain of the tour had gradually built up over years. “At 26, I was physically in great shape. I had already been processing it,” she revealed to ESPN, reflecting on the period that began around 1994. Working with a sports psychologist, Sabatini confronted a persistent sense of emptiness. “You feel like you’re hitting a rough patch and you say, ‘I don’t want to play, I don’t want to be in here,’ and it’s like everything is the same to you, and I wasn’t motivated to be there.”
This struggle traced back to her earliest years in tennis. A prodigy who turned professional at 14, Sabatini first experienced the same lack of motivation at 17, showing that even immense talent and early success couldn’t shield her from the mental toll of elite sport. Her candid reflections highlight the often unseen pressures faced by top athletes, reminding fans that the path to glory can come with profound personal cost.
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- Viral Y4
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