Inside Brooksby's comeback: From unranked & unable to carry a telephone to glory

ATP Tour

Inside Brooksby’s comeback: From unranked & unable to carry a telephone to glory

American discusses journey again from two wrist surgical procedures 

December 22, 2025

Jenson Brooksby couldn’t maintain his telephone for a number of months in 2023. His wrists had been immobilised, every in a solid for eight weeks, the aftermath of two surgical procedures carried out simply two months aside.

It was solely becoming that this April, two years after surgical procedure, Brooksby secured his maiden ATP Tour title in poetic style, having saved match level in three matches en path to the Houston trophy. These hard-fought matches had been demonstrations of his dedication all through his comeback… and it was only one chapter.

After beginning this season unranked, the 25-year-old climbed as excessive as No. 51 within the PIF ATP Rankings, not far off his career-high No. 33, which he reached in 2022.

“I haven’t seen anybody who has wanted surgical procedures on each wrists and been ready to try this, so I’m very pleased with myself,” Brooksby informed ATPTour.com in October. “I believe it’s a testomony of the work I’ve put in and the self-belief I’ve had on the lowest instances or on the highest instances like proper now. I nonetheless assume I can beat what I’ve achieved up to now.”

The bodily challenges behind Brooksby’s two-year comeback had been extreme. His proper wrist tendon had been between 70 and 80 per cent dislocated, whereas his left wrist tendon was fully dislocated. Brooksby underwent left wrist surgical procedure in March 2023 and proper wrist surgical procedure in Might 2023. Brooksby, who competed with closely taped wrists all through the 2022 season, tried to keep away from the second surgical procedure via relaxation and rehabilitation, however the discomfort proved inconceivable to beat.

Each surgical procedures had been carried out by California-based Dr. Steven Shin, who has operated on a number of sporting icons.

Jenson Brooksby in Might 2023. Credit score: Jenson Brooksby

Brooksby’s path again to full well being was gruelling, testing not solely his physique, but additionally his psychological fortitude. It was not till 20 months after surgical procedure when he was capable of end a observe match.

“I believe having the wrist simply getting used to the shock issue of tennis, simply with having k-wires [Kirschner wires] in my wrist, [the pain] was actually, actually excessive,” Brooksby stated. “It took so many months. At instances it felt prefer it was by no means going to occur, however then you definately simply keep affected person with it such as you would with the rest and finally like the remainder of the physique, it will get used to a sure tolerance or physicality.

“I used to be in several types of casts for eight weeks on every. For these eight weeks on every wrist, so 16 whole weeks, I wasn’t capable of do actually something in any respect. Not even holding the telephone or something. I needed to have some critical persistence mentally. You couldn’t even use your self bodily, a lot much less a easy factor. I used to be going a bit loopy.”

The Sacramento native stays one of many Tour’s hardest opponents, boasting brick-wall consistency with razor-sharp court docket intelligence to outmanoeuvre any rival. His all-court savviness was on full show throughout his title run on the ATP 250 in Houston, the place he started the week as a qualifying wild card at No. 507 within the PIF ATP Rankings. He left with the champion’s trophy, changing into the third-lowest-ranked titlist in ATP Tour historical past (since 1990).

Brooksby additionally loved a run to the Eastbourne ultimate and a semi-final exhibiting in Tokyo, additional illustrating that he’s as soon as once more a critical contender. Nicely contained in the High 100 and approaching a High 50 return, Brooksby discovered methods to sharpen his sport throughout his absence.

“I believe the most important motive why I wished to not simply come again, however believed I could possibly be higher is as a result of I knew I nonetheless had a pair weaker areas the place I knew I may get higher,” Brooksby stated. “I believe I used to be superb from the baseline, however I knew if I may get my serve higher than it was, play extra constant offensive tennis and add extra selection, that I believe I may crack the best ranges of tennis.

“I believe the most important factor is I’m searching for extra environment friendly methods to get within the offensive areas of the court docket and end off factors quite than simply staying from the baseline.”

When reflecting on his journey, Brooksby is fast to credit score the numerous hours of exhausting work he has poured into his sport and the unwavering help of his group. Even amid adversity, he has taken away invaluable classes.

“I believe it simply taught numerous persistence in life,” stated Brooksby, who in December 2024 publicly revealed he’s on the autism spectrum. “To have the ability to attain your targets takes an excessive quantity of persistence and consistency and accepting that you simply’ll be good in some areas and weaker in others and also you simply should work with what you have received.”