Garcia, pensive: "Is it really reasonable to push our bodies to that point?"

Caroline Garcia hasn’t been seen on a tennis court since March 21 and her defeat against Iga Swiatek in Miami. Struggling with a shoulder injury, the French player was forced to withdraw from the Rome tournament.

On her X account, she shared a deep reflection on high-level sports and the injuries it can cause.

*"'If you really cared, you’d play through the pain.' Someone told me that a few weeks ago after I explained I wasn’t ready to compete.*

*This isn’t an attack on that person, but rather a reflection on a mindset we’re conditioned to adopt very early as athletes: as if playing injured were a badge of honor or a necessity.*

*Don’t get me wrong—greatness requires sacrifice. Pain, discomfort, and struggle are all part of the path to excellence. But there’s a limit we must learn to recognize and respect.*

*Recently, I relied almost entirely on anti-inflammatories to manage my shoulder pain. Without them, it was unbearable. Over the past few months, I’ve had cortisone injections, plasma treatments, and other therapies—just to keep competing.*

*I’m not sharing this to seek pity or to prove how tough I am. Maybe it’s even the opposite. I’m asking myself: is it really reasonable to push our bodies this far?*

*Will being in daily pain at forty—as a consequence of years spent pushing limits—truly be worth celebrating? Or have we, collectively, gone too far in our relationship with sports?*

*Making a living as an athlete is an incredible privilege, and I’m deeply grateful for it. But forcing your body beyond its limits just to stay in the race?*

*Maybe that line should never be crossed. Maybe many of the victories society glorifies… aren’t really worth it."*