"My mother never gave up" - American Jenson Brooksby emotionally reveals inside details of autism diagnosis amid "very tough" 2 years

Jenson Brooksby emotionally opened up about details of his autism diagnosis amid "very tough" two years. The American acknowledged his parents for their efforts and refusing to give up on him.

Brooksby has been out of the tour for almost two years. After his third round loss to Tommy Paul at the 2023 Australian Open, Brooksby was hit by a series of mishaps. The American underwent a surgery on his left wrist in March and the other wrist two months later.

He was then handed a suspension by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for failing to show up for three drug tests, keeping him out until March 2024. However, a return after that was hindered by a shoulder pain.

Brooksby, who is gearing up for a comeback next season, divuldged his stories of struggles with autism. He revealed that he was "nonverbal" until the age of four and had to take therapies longing 40 hours a week. However, persistent support from his parents, especially his mother, helped him to survive the grim phase.

"It's time for me to share something that I have kept quiet for my entire life. I was diagnosed on the severe end of the spectrum as a very young child. I was nonverbal until the age of four. It took 40 hours a week of intensive ABA therapy. My mother never gave up and did everything to help me. I wouldn't be where I am today without her. I am lucky to have parents who refused to give up," Jenson Brooksby wrote on his Instagram stories.

Brooksby emphasized the importance of disclosing his story to inspire families to "never give up."

"I decided it was time to tell my story. I hope this inspires families to never give up," he stated.

The American admitted that the past two years were "very tough" on him but expressed gratitude for returning to the tour after all the challenges.

"The last 23 months have been very tough on me. Surrond yourself with good people and never give up. I am grateful to be returning to pro tennis in Australia. See you soon!," Brooksby added.

Jenson Brooksby's Instagram story (Source: Instagram - @jenson_brooksby)

As per reports, Jenson Brooksby will play at a Challenger tournament in Canberra before heading to Melbourne for the 2025 Australian Open.

---

"I eventually just wanted to talk about it" - Jenson Brooksby on opening up about mental health struggles

Jenson Brooksby at the 2023 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Jenson Brooksby broke the stigma surrounding mental health issues and made a honest admission about his struggles with autism.

In a recent interview with AP News, Brooksby maintained that he initially found the topic personal, making him uncomfortable sharing it with even closed ones. Over time, the American's approach changed, eventually wanting to speak up.

"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? But I’ve always thought about it and ... I, eventually, just wanted to talk about it," Brooksby said.

Apart from Jenson Brooksby, Naomi Osaka, Grigor Dimitrov and Bianca Andreescu are some other players on the tour who opened up about their mental health struggles. Dimitrov also encouraged fellow athletes to share their experiences and help each other.