“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?” said Brooksby, a Northern California native. “But I’ve always thought about it and … I, eventually, just wanted to talk about it.”
Brooksby, who has dealt with a ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency for missing doping tests, as well as several injuries that resulted in surgery, has not played since the 2022 Australian Open.
The American, who was handed an 18-month ban for missing three doping tests, had his sentence reduced by five months and back-dated to the date of his third missed test. He was eligible to play this March, but stayed off court as he worked through injuries and put together a new team.
He was considered to be one of the top American men at the time, with his disruptive, off-kilter game and his on-court intensity and adept movement for his 6’4” stature.
He will play a challenger event in Canberra before heading to the Australian Open, which begins on January 12.
“I just want people to know me for who I am fully, and that’s just another part of me,” Brooksby said. “I’ve had a lot of time out of playing and a lot of thinking I’ve had to do.”
