Not many players are able to extend their careers beyond the 40s. However, the likes of Serena Williams and Roger Federer have been a stark contrast to this fact. The duo retired a couple of years back when they were well past the 40-year-old mark. However, there was an interesting secret about their longevity, especially of Serena Williams. Toward the fag end of her career, Williams played in a select few tournaments and played scarcely after the US Open, the season’s last Grand Slam tournament. As a result, her ex-coach, Rennae Stubbs, feels that Caroline Garcia is also doing the right thing with her schedule.

Like Williams, Garcia is also taking cautious steps after the US Open. She hasn’t played in many tournaments despite the hectic season. Backing her in this regard, Stubbs, during her podcast, ‘The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast‘, said, “I would take all of the rest of the year off after the US Open, if you can afford it, for sure. I mean, as I said, Serena did it for the last, like, felt like the last seven or eight years of her career, and, you know, extended her career to playing at 40 years of age. So I think it’s a good idea. If you don’t feel it, don’t do it.”

At 30, Garcia is clearly past her peak days in tennis. As a result, she is taking cautious steps and has played in a select few tournaments, especially after the US Open. The Frenchwoman has played in just one tournament in Guadalajara after the last Grand Slam tournament of the season.

Additionally, Garcia announced that she was stepping away from tennis for the remainder of the 2024 season. “Mentally, I need a reset. I need to step away from the constant grind of tennis. This year, my mindset was toxic. I lost touch with the joy of being a tennis player and became obsessed with rankings and wins,” she said. However, these weren’t the only problems for Garcia.

Caroline Garcia suffered from anxiety and panic attacks

For the record, Garcia has participated in just 14 tournaments this year. Struggling with form and inconsistency, she failed to reach the finals in any of them, let alone winning a title. To make matters worse, the poor performances eventually took a toll on her mental health and she decided to end her 2024 season abruptly after the tournament in Mexico.

Talking about her condition amid a poor run of form, Garcia said, “I’m exhausted from the anxiety, the panic attacks, the tears before matches. Tired of missing out on family moments and never having a place to truly call home. I’m tired of living in a world where my worth is measured by last week’s results, my ranking, or my unforced errors.”

To make the most of her time off the court, Garcia enrolled herself in the Harvard Business School program. She will attend the Crossover to Business program, a semester-long immersion that has pro athletes develop their business skills. The Frenchwoman will look to come back rejuvenated as she looks to extend her playing career, just like Serena Williams.