‘I need to stop and rest’

Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo announced on social media this week that she will be taking a sabbatical from the Hologic WTA Tour “for [her] mind and for [her] body.”

The 28-year-old former singles World No. 32 made the announcement in a hand-written note she posted in Spanish to Instagram on Thursday, just days after she helped Spain clinch a spot in September’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Sorribes Tormo is currently ranked No. 85 in singles and No. 40 in doubles — with a career-high of No. 17 in the latter. She and fellow Spaniard Cristina Busca made history last spring as the first all-Spanish team to win the doubles title at the Mutua Madrid Open, but they won’t defend their crown in next week after Sorribes Tormo revealed she has been “suffering for many months” on court.

“The cheerful and happy Sara that you see off the court is far from the reality of everything I carry inside,” Sorribes Tormo wrote in the note’s caption, written in English. “I’ve lost the excitement to train, to improve, and even to go to tournaments. The moments of suffering far outweigh those of calm, and this is coming from someone who has always loved to work, improve, and compete.

“That’s why, in addition to needing help, I feel that I need to stop and rest. I don’t know if it will be permanent or temporary. I want to be coherent and consistent with what my body feels.”

Sorribes Tormo received messages of support in the comments of her Instagram post not only from her fellow Spaniards including Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and BJK Cup captain Carla Suárez Navarro, but also from other Hologic WTA Tour peers including Sorana Cirstea, Lauren Davis, Viktorija Golubic and Caroline Garcia.

ATP World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz also sent well-wishes to his compatriot during a post-victory press conference in Barcelona, saying in part: “I hope she finds the answers she needs, and hopefully, we’ll see her smiling and fighting again soon—because she’s a warrior.”

“Lots of encouragement Sara,” Garcia wrote. “You are an example of making this decision for yourself, for taking care of yourself. A big hug.”

Known for her durability — which included playing the fourth-longest match of the Open Era last year — the Castellón de la Plana native has won two WTA singles titles and six WTA doubles titles in her career, also winning the WTA 1000 China Open in 2023 in doubles with Marie Bouzkova. Most famously, the Spaniard upset then-World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.