Overcoming the Toughest Period in My Tennis Journey: Mental Struggles and Lessons Learned

Loïs Boisson’s much-anticipated return to the WTA Tour ended in straight-sets defeat at the Madrid Open on Tuesday, as the French No. 1 struggled to find her rhythm after more than six months away from competition due to injury.

The 22-year-old from Haute-Savoie lost 6-2, 6-3 to American Peyton Stearns in the first round of the WTA 1000 event at the Caja Mágica, marking her first match since October 2025. Boisson, who reached the French Open semifinals in spring 2025, admitted the extended layoff had taken a significant mental toll.

“These last months have been exceptionally complicated, the most complicated since I’ve been playing tennis,” Boisson said after the match, according to reports from her press conference. “I managed them poorly mentally as well.”

Boisson’s absence from the circuit began after a series of physical setbacks that disrupted her momentum following her breakthrough performance at Roland Garros. She disclosed that even as two minor leg injuries were manageable, an unexpected wrist problem proved particularly challenging to overcome.

“The two small injuries I had to my leg weren’t serious, they happen to everyone at some point,” Boisson explained. “Playing many matches in succession is also physically demanding. But this wrist injury was unexpected, honestly, and complicated to manage.”

The French player acknowledged that the heightened attention after her strong showing in Paris may have added pressure she wasn’t accustomed to handling.

“Maybe without realizing it, yes, it added a kind of stress, pressure, something I simply wasn’t used to living with, all this attention around me,” she said. “It’s mostly because of the injuries, the fact that I couldn’t do what I could have done thanks to Roland Garros.”

Despite the loss, Boisson expressed optimism about her recovery journey and future prospects.

“The fact that everything happened this way, I inform myself it’s not a coincidence, that it taught me things and that it will help me in the future,” she stated. “I’m convinced I have the abilities to do beautiful things in tennis. I’m happy today to come out stronger and to have digested a little of all this.”

Boisson entered the Madrid Open ranked 46th in the world, her highest career ranking to date. Her absence from the tour since October meant she missed the Australian Open swing and the early clay-court season leading up to Madrid.

The WTA 1000 event in Madrid serves as a key preparatory tournament for the French Open, with players using the red clay conditions to fine-tune their games ahead of Roland Garros in late May and early June.

For Boisson, the focus now shifts to regaining match fitness and confidence as she aims to rebuild her ranking and form for the remainder of the 2026 clay-court season.

Her next scheduled appearance has not been officially announced, but players typically use events in Rome or Strasbourg as additional preparation before the second Grand Slam of the year.

Boisson’s candid reflection on the mental challenges of injury recovery highlights a growing conversation in professional tennis about the psychological demands of the sport, particularly for young players navigating sudden success and subsequent setbacks.

As she works to return to her best form, Boisson will look to apply the lessons learned during her lengthy absence to future challenges on the tour.

What are your thoughts on Boisson’s return and her honest assessment of the mental toll of injury? Share your perspective in the comments below.