He beat Alcaraz, Sinner, and Zverev but had to pause his career for nearly five months due to a mental health issue

The generation of players that followed Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic faced a monumental challenge: emerging from the shadows of three of tennis’s greatest legends.

Among this group, players like Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Dominic Thiem, and Alexander Zverev have carved out significant careers, but the transition was far from smooth.

One member of this next wave is Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, who turned professional in 2013 but took a few years to make his mark. While Ruusuvuori hasn’t reached the same heights as some of his peers, he has managed to secure notable victories over some of today’s top players, including Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev.

Ruusuvuori defeated Sinner in 2023 at Hertogenbosch, though Sinner holds a 5–1 head-to-head advantage. He beat Alcaraz at the Miami Open in 2021, evening their record at 1–1, and also claimed victory over Zverev at the same tournament that year, another rivalry now tied at 1–1.

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain photographed with opponent Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland prior to their second round match of the 2023 Madrid Open. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Mental health challenges sideline Ruusuvuori

Despite these accomplishments, Ruusuvuori’s career trajectory took a sharp downturn. Once ranked as high as No. 37, he now finds himself at No. 279 after stepping away from the game for nearly five months to address mental health concerns.

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In a heartfelt letter shared by the ATP, Ruusuvuori opened up about his struggles. “Last year, I went four and a half months without touching a racket, but it wasn’t for the reasons people might think. It was for my mental health. When things got bad, I started forgetting things. My body was in one place, but my mind was somewhere else. I’d go from forgetting something as basic as my rackets to experiencing full-blown panic attacks,” he wrote.

The Finnish player recalled how these issues began to affect his life both on and off the court. “I knew I had gone too far at Roland Garros when the things happening in my head during tournaments started spilling into my life outside tennis. I couldn’t sleep well, to the point where I started having nightmares. I’d wake up sweating, my heart pounding, unable to breathe. It made me think I was losing my mind,” he continued.

Panic attacks and a difficult return

After attempting to take a short break to reset, Ruusuvuori experienced a severe panic attack during a match at the Surbiton ATP Challenger event. “I tried taking a week or two off before playing at Surbiton, but instead, I had a panic attack on the court. Honestly, I can’t even remember the match. It was terrifying. These attacks started happening off the court too, even while driving,” he revealed.

Rejoining the Tour

Ruusuvuori eventually returned to competitive tennis, focusing on Challenger-level events to ease back into the sport. He initially planned to compete at Roland Garros but withdrew before the tournament began.

Reflecting on his journey, he shared: “The good thing about this process is that I’ve come to terms with the possibility of not returning to tennis. That was never an option before; everything revolved around my career. Still, I always believed I’d make it back. Preparing my body for competition took time, and my first tournament back was in February at the Tenerife Challenger. The first match was terrible, but the second was a little better. Since then, it’s been a rollercoaster”.