Caroline Garcia has made some deep reflection lately as the Frenchwoman describes the 2025 season as the start of a new journey, where she will be focused on finding the joy and happiness on the court rather than pressuring herself into achieving certain things.
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This year, the former world No. 4 struggled with her consistency and resulted and ultimately finished with a 17-17 record without any titles won. When it comes to the Grand Slam stage, she didn't do well there at all, having picked up three second-round exits and also losing in the US Open first round.
And that led to Garcia concluding her season already in September. At the time, the current world No. 48 posted a lengthy message on social media, in which she admitted that too much pressure and expectations caused her to have "a toxic mindset" and battle anxiety and panic attacks.
Now after taking some time for herself, the 2022 WTA Finals champion is ready to return at the start of the new season. And this time, she hopes to avoid things that put her in a dark spot this year.
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"Let the journey begin. In just one month, if all goes well, Ill step back onto the court at the Australian Open. This is more than a return to competitionits a personal reckoning. Every day, Im putting in the work, pushing myself to be ready both physically and mentally," Garcia wrote on X.
"Most days, I find joy in the process, but there are moments when the shadows creep inthe fear of failure, the fear of not being enough. These thoughts can feel overwhelming, but Ive come to realize that the real failure would be giving in to them, letting them define me. I want to discover what it means to play for meto chase my own goals, to find my own reasons, to finally uncover the joy in being a tennis player. To not let others define me.
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"I dont want winning a Grand Slam or returning to the top 5 to be my goal anymore. I want those achievements to be the outcomethe result of being happy, working hard, and continuously improving as a player and a person. The focus is no longer on the destination, but on embracing the journey, with all its challenges and beauty. Winning has to be the outcome, not the goal. I want to do it not for the trophies, not for the rankings or for my environments expectations or dreams, but for the person Ill become through the process."
What exactly Garcia said three months ago?
After losing in the Wimbledon second round to Bernarda Pera, the Frenchwoman also suffered a disappointing first-round loss at the Paris Olympics to Jaqueline Cristian. Then, another devastating loss came at the US Open when she was beaten by Renata Zarazua in two sets in her opener.
In her next tournament in mid-September, Garcia managed to bounce back a bit and end her three-match losing streak by reaching the Guadalajara quarterfinal. However, that solid result didn't change much for the 31-year-old.
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And shortly after, she admitted that not everything was right.
"This year, my mindset was toxic. I lost touch with the joy of being a tennis player and became obsessed with rankings and wins. My results didnt match the goals I set or the expectations I had. The work, the sacrifices, the painit all felt the same as before, but the results werent there, and I couldnt compete at the level I know Im capable of. Thats been really hard to accept," Garcia wrote on X in late September.
In the same post, the former world No. 4 also revealed that she was also often experiencing anxiety and panic attacks.
"Im exhausted from the anxiety, the panic attacks, the tears before matches... For too long, Ive let tennis consume me, ride the emotional highs and lows of every result. But Im more than that," she added at the time.
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After years of struggling with her form, Garcia rediscovered her best tennis in the second part of 2022. During that period, she won four titles - reached the US Open semifinal - and returned inside the top-10 for the first time in years.
Going into the 2023 season, the Frenchwoman didn't hide that she was extremely determined and motivated to become a Grand Slam champion. But Garcia hasn't won any titles since 2022 and the reasons are listed above.
