Morgan Mehrig, Contributing Illustrator
With the U.S. Open in full swing, the biggest attention-grabber, without question, is Serena Williams’ quest to complete the “Grand Slam”–the exceptionally rare feat in tennis of winning all four of the biggest tournaments in one year. Despite the deserved attention for Serena, one person who won’t be lifting any trophies at the end of the event was perhaps more successful than anyone.
Only three years ago, Mardy Fish was on a roll as the top-ranked American male, playing the best tennis of his life and getting set to take on Roger Federer in the U.S. Open fourth round. Shortly before the match began, though, Fish announced he was pulling out of the tournament for “health reasons.”
Between that day and now, Fish has opened up about what exactly was going on, revealing that he faced a problem that caused his heart to race uncontrollably at seemingly random times. This issue would lead to crippling anxiety attacks that would make him fearful of leaving his house or being alone for any period of time.
While Fish understandably took time away from tennis, he never gave up the hope that he would be able to end his career on his own terms, instead of being ripped away from the sport during his peak by his illness and anxiety. And at this year’s Open, he did exactly that, playing in the men’s singles event one last time, winning his first round match and leading 19th ranked Feliciano Lopez before his body, which has not been subjected to the typical training of a professional athlete for quite some time, started cramping in the hot New York sun. Lopez even admitted that Fish was the better player and deserved to win.
The results don’t really matter though. Just stepping onto the court was a victory in itself for Fish. The American displayed impressive courage to open up about his mental battles, despite the stigma attached to it. Professional athletes, particularly tennis players, are often lauded for their mental strength in the face of adversity, and for Fish to reveal his struggles was an extremely brave move.
Furthermore, his participation also serves as a reminder that mental illnesses can be managed, and that with the right treatment—Fish still takes medication for his anxiety—people can do what they love.
The word hero is often mentioned when it comes to the world’s top tennis players. Although the feats of the sport’s top athletes deserve praise, Mardy Fish truly embodies a hero. His courage to publicly share his struggles and triumphs in his battle with illness and mental struggles serve as a tremendous reminder to everyone, not just athletes or fans, that these sicknesses can be overcome.
Shapiro is a member of the class of 2016.
