“Spent 40 Hours a Week With Therapists,” American ATP Pro Jenson Brooksby Battles Autism With His Anchors Deep in Tennis

“We’re going to see a lot of him in the future,” Novak Djokovic said after  Jenson Brooksby managed to steal the opening set from him at their 2021 US Open clash. Back then, Brooksby was one of the rising American stars making waves on the big stage. Ranked No. 33 at just 21, he was a name to watch. But then everything changed. Injuries, surgeries, and a ban over missed dope tests took him off the radar. His ranking disappeared and his career stalled. The American made his comeback in 2025, but before stepping onto the court again, he made a startling revelation

Six days before Christmas in 2024, Brooksby made a surprising announcement. In a social media post, he shared something deeply personal: he had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a child. “I kept quiet for my entire life,” he wrote. Now he has opened up further.

Talking to BBC Sport, Brooksby, who was non-verbal until the age of four, said, “I think my desire to be able to help other people with it in certain scenarios – say, if they are trying to become a professional player – was bigger than any negative outcome I could have thought of. I really hope that future players, whether they are vocal about it or not, they at least know it’s OK for them to struggle with it and hopefully be able to explain why.”

Autism spectrum disorder affects communication, social interactions, and behavior. For the American tennis player, it meant hours of therapy as a child. He further revealed, “I spent about 40 hours a week with therapists to be able to even just start talking … (and) then to get better at communication and social situations.”

While words were a struggle, sports became his escape. Tennis wasn’t his only passion—basketball, swimming, and track and field also played a role in his early years. “Sport was a big release for me. If I sit for a long time I can have a lot of energy bottled up, and so being a very active kid really let it out,” he said. The 24-year-old’s competitive mindset kicked in early. “I always wanted to train to try to be good at something,” Brooksby recalled. “Even at that age, I think I had that mindset of competing and to be good at something.”

His therapist, Michelle Wagner, saw an incredible transformation. Diagnosed as “a very severe case” as a toddler, he’s now on “the very mild end of the spectrum.” She described his progress as “an unusual and unique outcome.” Despite his rise in tennis, Brooksby’s career hit a roadblock in 2023.

Jenson Brooksby makes “peace” with doping ban

Jenson Brooksby was banned for missing three dope tests within a year—an automatic violation under anti-doping rules. Players in the International Registered Testing Pool must report their whereabouts daily for a one-hour window. One missed test is a warning. Two is serious. Three means a suspension.

The second test was a major point of contention. Brooksby’s legal team argued he was at the hotel he had listed, but his room was booked under his physio’s name. A note left at the front desk wasn’t passed on to the doping control officer. He later admitted he hadn’t taken anti-doping education seriously. The tribunal heard he had “declined invitations to learn more about the anti-doping system” and instead let his adviser, Amrit Narasimhan, handle it.

Initially banned for 18 months, Brooksby’s punishment was reduced to 13 months. The main reason is believed to be his autism diagnosis. His team presented evidence that his condition made it harder for him to track multiple responsibilities at once.

Brooksby took full responsibility. “I’ve had my agent keep track of where I will be every day, because it’s hard for my brain to be able to focus well on many different things,” he said to BBC Sport. “It’s a positive for me to be able to focus on a few simple things. But a downside is that there can be so many things going on for us players it’s hard for my mind to be able to wrap around that.” He refused to dwell on what happened and said,  “I have had so much time to reflect on it, and it’s in the past. I’m pretty much at peace with it.”

The 24-year-old later made his comeback in this season’s BNP Paribas Open. He picked up his first tour-level wins in over 2 years before losing to Jack Draper in the third round. The British player left a heartwarming message on the camera lens after the match: “Good to have a great player back.”

Jenson Brooksby’s story isn’t just about a comeback. It’s about resilience, self-acceptance, and proving that obstacles—whether physical, mental, or professional can be overcome.