Jenson Brooksby Opens Up About Living And Playing With Autism

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday December 19, 2024As Jenson Brooksby plans to make his return from a two-year absence in Australia in January, the former World No.33 has opened up about living with autism spectrum disorder for the first time.Brooksby, 24, gave an exclusive interview to Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press, telling the journalist that he didn’t want to keep his condition a secret any longer.“It’s … just something I don’t want to have to keep to myself,” he said.

Jenson Brooksby spoke to the AP about living with autism and returning to tennis after 2 years away because of injuries, operations and his whereabouts ban. https://t.co/QF37ORVIep pic.twitter.com/KG7CpNJLQD

— Howard Fendrich (@HowardFendrich) December 19, 2024

Brooksby was diagnosed before the age of three, and was non-verbal until he was four. He reportedly worked for 40 hours a week with therapists as a child.“It’s obviously a personal topic that, even with people you may feel very comfortable with — in my mind, at least for a long time — it wasn’t (something) to just go blurting out as part of a conversation, you know?” said Brooksby, a Northern California native. “But I’ve always thought about it and … I, eventually, just wanted to talk about it.”Brooksby, who has dealt with a ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency for missing doping tests, as well as several injuries that resulted in surgery, has not played since the 2022 Australian Open.The American, who was handed an 18-month ban for missing three doping tests, had his sentence reduced by five months and back-dated to the date of his third missed test. He was eligible to play this March, but stayed off court as he worked through injuries and put together a new team.He was considered to be one of the top American men at the time, with his disruptive, off-kilter game and his on-court intensity and adept movement for his 6’4” stature.He will play a challenger event in Canberra before heading to the Australian Open, which begins on January 12.“I just want people to know me for who I am fully, and that’s just another part of me,” Brooksby said. “I’ve had a lot of time out of playing and a lot of thinking I’ve had to do.”