Prior to last year's resurgence, Caroline Garcia struggled with her tennis for a good amount and there were plenty of struggles behind the scenes as well.
The French player made a name for herself in 2017 after taking home a few significant victories and climbing into the top 10. She was unable to maintain that level for very long, and she didn't get back to it until many years later.
“Everyone is different. Some will stop eating and for me it was the opposite: I used to take refuge in food," Garcia revealed to L'Equipe. “You feel so empty, so sad, that you need to fill yourself. It came from the distress of not managing to do what I wanted to do on court, of not winning anymore, of suffering physically.“
She continued: "Eating would appease me for a few minutes. We all know it does not last but it was an escape route. When you’re alone, it’s harder to control. In tennis, you spend a lot of time alone in your room. It’s how it often happened.”
She's still dealing with it but finds it much easier to handle and knows how to handle it better:
"When it happens, I accept it better and feel less guilty. Allowing myself some regular indulgences helps me avoid having too many of these cravings. I was too tough on myself at some point. I’m the type of person who weigh themselves to the gram. Now, if I’ve been wanting pizza for two days, I’m going to have the pizza.”