"It's not an attack on that person": Caroline Garcia opens up about having unrealistic expectations from athletes

French tennis player Caroline Garcia has criticised people for having unrealistic expectations of athletes. There have been instances in the past where players, especially those who are playing tennis at the highest level, have complained about the stressful schedule.

Men’s world number three Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and women’s world number two Iga Swiatek are among the most vocal players who have complained about the schedule, which has left players fatigued. Another player has now been added to that list.

French women’s tennis player Garcia, in a post on the social media platform X — previously known as Twitter—opened up about how challenging it has become to be a professional athlete. The 31-year-old wrote about unrealistic expectations that people have with athletes, which is her opinion, and is taking this a bit too far.

"If you really wanted to do it, you would play through the pain.” Someone said this to me a few weeks ago after I explained that I wasn't ready to play,” she wrote. “It's not an attack on that person, but rather a reflection on a mindset you're conditioned to early on as an athlete: as if playing injured is a badge of honor or a necessity. Make no mistake—greatness requires sacrifice. Pain, discomfort, and struggle are all part of the journey to excellence. But there is a limit we must learn to recognize and respect. Recently, I relied almost entirely on anti-inflammatory medications to successfully manage the pain in my shoulder. Without them, it was unbearable. In recent months, I've received corticosteroid injections, plasma treatments, and other treatments just to keep me competing.”

She continued by writing: “I'm not sharing this to arouse pity, or to prove I'm tough. It might even be the opposite. I'm asking myself this: Is it really reasonable to push our bodies to this extent? Is being in pain every day at forty—as a result of years of pushing the limits—really worth celebrating? Or have we, collectively, gone too far in our relationship with sport? Making a living as an athlete is an incredible privilege, and I'm deeply grateful for it. But pushing your body beyond its limits just to stay in the race? Perhaps that line should never be crossed. Perhaps many of the victories that society glorifies…aren't worth that much.”