Clara Tauson Shares ‘Brutal’ Reality of Life as Tennis Player: “Social Media Makes Everything Seem Glamorous”

Clara Tauson was last seen in action at the Libema Open. Her run ended in a disappointing fashion as Mia Pohankova defeated her in straight sets in the opening round.

A few days after her exit, Ubitennis published an article written by the Dane. She recalled the struggle of growing up in a country where tennis is not at all a part of the culture, unlike soccer, handball, and cycling. Tauson, unlike many of her fellow players, did not grow up in a system designed to train tennis players.

She also wants to remind people that the life of a tennis player is not all about rankings and trophies and the glamour that many think it is. What they don’t see is how, when she was a child, her family sacrificed their routines so that she could train with her dad. And then there were constant financial pressures that their parents did their best to hide from her.

That’s why, even in difficult times, I always try to remind myself how privileged I am to live this life. The experiences stay with you forever, and I hope so do the many friendships. However, tennis can be brutal. Losses hurt, travel can be exhausting, and the pressure can be overwhelming.

Clara Tauson wrote

Tennis is considered one of the loneliest sports, and according to Tauson, when players lose, they have nowhere to hide; there’s no teammate by their side, there’s “no substitutions. No time to save you. Only you.” But Tauson never truly felt alone because whenever she competed, she had her loved ones in the stands or at home cheering for her.

Sometimes people underestimate how difficult this journey can be. Social media makes everything seem glamorous: the trips, the stadiums, the photos. But the reality is very different, at least for most of us. The weeks when you exit the tournament early. The days when your body aches, the weeks when your self-confidence wanes.

Clara Tauson added

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Clara Tauson on the positive aspects of tennis

Life of a tennis player is not all brutal after all. And Clara Tauson also shared the positive side of playing professional tennis. This sport has given her a life she never imagined as a child in Denmark: it has allowed her to see the world and learn about different cultures and people, and become close friends with some of her fellow tennis players.

One of the things that keeps you going is having people who remind you who you are beyond tennis. I’m lucky to have my boyfriend [Kasper Elsvad] as a coach now and my family, who I’m very close to. They’ve never made me feel like my worth depended on rankings or results. Sure, we dreamed big. Sure, we worked incredibly hard. But love was never conditional. That matters more than people think. Especially in a sport where everything can change from one tournament to the next.

Clara Tauson wrote

Tauson has not yet played a final this season. Last year, she reached two finals, winning the ASB Classic after receiving a walkover from four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. She lost the Dubai Tennis Championships to Mirra Andreeva. It was also the first time she reached a WTA 1000 final.

Tauson has so far played five finals and won three titles. Because of a chronic back injury, Tauson has struggled to make deep runs in the tournaments she has played this year, and this has also resulted in withdrawals from a few events. She has reached just one semifinal this season, at the Abu Dhabi Open, losing the match to eventual champion Sara Bejlek.

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