“Everything had become toxic and dark,” Caroline Garcia stated as she summed up her year. Back in 2022, Garcia won the WTA Finals title. While the win was expected to boost her career, it wasn’t meant to be as she suffered from psychological issues. To make matters worse, Garcia also contemplated permanently quitting tennis. However, she eventually decided to continue albeit without much joy. Talking about Garcia’s performance in the 2024 season, it was disappointing and she also ended her season early. As she aims to make a comeback next year, Garcia issued a condition to carry on in the sport.

The Frenchwoman was last seen in action at the Guadalajara Open back in September this year. It was her best result this year as she made it to the semifinals there. However, she failed to win a title this season and dropped to Number 48 in the WTA rankings. Amid poor form and absence from the tour, Garcia wants to take a careful step ahead.

Talking about her comeback in 2025, Garcia, during an interview with L’Equipe, said, “If it becomes toxic again, if I lose sleep over it and I have anxiety attacks, it will mean that it’s the end. In February, I had already asked myself the question a lot. But I had a doubt: if I take a break, do I come back? In fact, I agreed to cut when I accepted the fact that, maybe, I would never come back. And I was at peace with that.”

Further, she went on to add, “At the end of every match, win or loss, I was just relieved. I didn’t know why I was playing. I hated the person I was becoming. It exhausted me. I almost lost the values of who I am. It was unbearable.”

It all started just three days after Garcia won the WTA Finals title. She felt empty inside and her relationship with the sport suffered. Moreover, during the 2023 Australian Open, Garcia admitted to having a terrible attitude with her team and every match became a nightmare.

Further, Garcia also ended her 2024 season early as things weren’t going her way. She made an emotional revelation after calling it quits early in 2024.

Caroline Garcia on taking a break from tennis: ‘Mentally, I need a reset’

After the US Open, Garcia missed the Asian Swing and decided to end her season in September. The 31-year-old was suffering from a dip in form which affected her confidence and mental health. As a result, she needed to hit the reset button and made a grim revelation on social media about ending her 2024 season early.

She wrote, “Mentally, I need a reset. I need to step away from the constant grind of tennis, take a real holiday, reconnect with my family and loved ones, and allow myself to breathe without the pressure of performance. My results didn’t match the goals I set or the expectations I had. The work, the sacrifices, the pain—it all felt the same as before, but the results weren’t there, and I couldn’t compete at the level I know I’m capable of. That’s been really hard to accept.”

Garcia is hopeful about a return at the Australian Open in January next year. She would look to take one tournament at a time and ensure cautious steps forward to prolong her career.