The tennis courts may have quieted down during the offseason, but off the courts, the buzz never really stops. With the Australian Open just around the corner, fans and players are gearing up for the thrill of the first Grand Slam of 2025. One name that’s sparking conversations? Jenson Brooksby. After a prolonged hiatus, Brooksby is making his much-anticipated return to the Grand Slam stage. But it’s not just his comeback that’s catching attention—it’s also his remark about living with autism and the hurdles he’s faced along the way. But who exactly is Brooksby and what rule he breached that led to a harsh action against him?

Born on October 26, 2000, to Glen and Tania, the American tennis star picked up racquets when he was just 4. He got his name from Formula 1 racer Jenson Button, due to his father’s admiration for him. Brooksby demonstrated some sensational skills as a budding athlete and clinched the 2018 Easter Bowl title, which helped him earn a wild card into the US Open the same year, where he lost to the eventual quarterfinalist of the tournament, John Millman. But this was just the beginning of Brooksby’s career. 

The American player who used his protected ranking of 57 to compete at the Grand Slam in Melbourne next year, demonstrated some incredible talent as he turned towards professional tennis. In 2019, he qualified again for the US Open and defeated Tomáš Berdych in four sets in the first round. And while he faced a defeat in the second round, he started to establish himself on the tennis circuits. However, following the tournament, the rising star missed 14 months on tour owing to arm and turf toe injuries. But when he returned, he returned in true fashion.

Brooksby quickly started to make his presence felt on the tennis courts in 2021. The year also witnessed him achieving his best Grand Slam results so far, where he advanced to the 4th round of the US Open. It was for his constant efforts that he was voted the 2021 ATP Newcomer of the Year by his fellow players. In 2022, Brooksby achieved his career-high ranking of 33 and handed some surprising defeats to several senior players like John Isner in Atlanta. He also defeated the then World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas at the BNP Paribas Open, making a statement that he was here to stay.

In terms of motivation, Jenson Brooksby admires Rafael Nadal’s dominance. “His mentality and consistency is just so amazing for me to see. And how he’s done that for so long. I love the intensity and discipline he brings every time,” he said about him, per ATP Tour.com. He is a vigilant follower of Novak Djokovic too and wishes to emulate his return skills. And showing immense determination on tour, Brooksby continued showcasing his skills in 2023 as well, where he achieved the biggest victory of his career by outshining then No. 3 Casper Ruud in the second round of the Australian Open. However, destiny had something else in store for him. 

In October 2023, Brooksby faced an 18-month suspension by an independent tribunal for missing three anti-doping tests in a 12-month period. However, following his appeal, his suspension was reduced to 13 months and remained in place until March this year. In a statement in February this year, the ITIA announced that a reassessment of his case was carried out and in consultation with WADA, the suspension period was reduced.

“Following reassessment, the ITIA, WADA, and the player’s representatives agreed that Brooksby’s fault for the ADRV was not as high as previously found by the independent tribunal, and a 13-month sanction was appropriate,” ITIA’s statement read. Now, as he gears up to make a comeback, Brooksby is not shying away from detailing another crucial challenge he faced in his life. 

Jenson Brooksby opens up on living with Autism

Jenson Brooksby is gearing up for a crucial phase of his career as he prepares to step onto the tennis courts yet again in January. But ahead of his season, he wants people to know about his experience living with autism spectrum disorder, about which he opened up for the first time, per Associated Press. 

Speaking in an interview, Brooskby shared, “It’s … just something I don’t want to have to keep to myself.” Continuing further, the American star who also revealed how frustrating and depressing his time away from the court was, revealed, “It’s obviously a personal topic that, even with people you may feel very comfortable with — in my mind, at least for a long time — it wasn’t [something] to just go blurting out as part of a conversation, you know? But I’ve always thought about it and … I, eventually, just wanted to talk about it.” Brooksby also shared how it troubled him ever since he was a child. 

As a kid, Brooksby was compelled to spend close to 40 hours every week, “to be able to even just start talking … then to get better at communication and social situations.” He also shared that it makes playing tennis a little difficult for him, as he experiences outbursts or extreme disappointments if he loses or misses out on a crucial point. But now, as he gears up for an enthralling season, it will be interesting to see how the young American tackles his issues and if he manages to return to the court in a dominant form.