Emil Ruusuvuori has announced that he will be taking a break from tennis after pulling out of the US Open.
The Finnish player was set to face No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in the first round but withdrew on the eve of the tournament.
Ruusuvuori reached a career-high ranking of No. 34 last year. But he is now stepping away to take care of his “physical and mental health”.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed some highs this year – he started the season by reaching the Hong Kong final and stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon earlier this summer. But he has also been dogged by injuries, retiring and had to withdraw from multiple tournaments.
Ruusuvuori has now shut down his season to take an extended break from the sport. The world No. 85 announced the news on social media on Wednesday.
“As you know, the past year has been challenging: I have achieved things I have dreamed of since I was a child, but the balance between work and recovery has not been right,” he wrote.
“Due to overloading, I have decided to take a break from tennis for the rest of the year and focus on my physical and mental health.”
Ruusuvuori also announced his withdrawal from Finland’s upcoming Davis Cup group stage tie. But the 25-year-old will still be in Manchester to cheer them on.
He added: “Because of this, I will not be in the playing lineup for the Davis Cup. However, I will still support the team and be with them, as the DC team is extremely important to me. Have a great rest of the summer, everyone.”
