"They were running her life, her dad; she didn't make money just for herself" - When Jennifer Capriati's friend revealed reasons for her tennis hiatus

Jennifer Capriati once found herself buckling under the stress and pressure of being a professional tennis player. Capriati's friend Mark Black shed light on the reasons behind the American's decision to take a break from the sport.

Capriati burst out on the professional scene at just 13 years of age, achieving remarkable success quickly by reaching the French Open semifinals on her Grand Slam debut. The American continued going from strength to strength, reaching two more Major semifinals and winning the Olympic gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

However, Jennifer Capriati's career suffered a significant setback at the 1993 US Open, when the seventh seed suffered a shock 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Leila Mekshi in the first round. Subsequently, the then-18-year-old became disillusioned with the sport and chose to take a break from tennis.

During her hiatus, the American indulged in typical teenage pursuits, including throwing a 36-hour party at a motel in Miami, which led to her arrest on May 16, 1994, for a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated later that same month, Jennifer Capriati's friend Mark Black, who attended the party, shared that Capriati had confided in him the reason behind her hiatus. He revealed that while she loved tennis, she found the pressure to become World No. 1 too "stressful."

Black also disclosed that her father Stefano and her coaches were "running her life" because of their reliance on her earnings.

"She explained it to me: She loves tennis; the happiest moments of her life are when she's playing. But as soon as it got to be 'Number 1, Number 1, Number 1,' it was too stressful. They were running her life. Her dad. Her coaches. She didn't make money just for herself. A lot of people were depending on her," he said.

Jennifer Capriati's former coach Tommy Thompson expressed a similar sentiment, asserting that the American was surrounded by people who only viewed her as a tennis player and were quick to take credit for her success. He emphasized that the same people "scattered" when she was in trouble.

Thompson also observed that the American had undergone a change since becoming a professional player, no longer the "carefree" and happy child, who enjoyed the sport, she once was.

"I knew something had to give. [Many people around Capriati] looked at her only as a player. It was her only identity. Everybody sure wanted to take credit when things were going well," Thompson said.

"When she had problems, people scattered. And I say we: coaches, parents, management groups. When I met her she was the easiest, happiest kid I've ever known. She was carefree. After being on the tour for three years I could see a change," he added.

"I just wanted to kill myself, really" - Jennifer Capriati on 'losing it mentally' after 1993 US Open 1R loss

Jennifer Capriati's shocking first-round loss to Leila Mekshi at the 1993 US Open affected her deeply. In a 1994 interview with the New York Times, the American admitted that she "lost it mentally" after the defeat but revealed that it was the culmination of her unhappiness with her game, life and the people surrounding her.

Capriati also confessed that she contemplated suicide, struggling with a distorted self-image as someone "ugly and fat."

"I started out O.K., but at the end of the match I couldn't wait to get off the court. Totally, mentally, I just lost it and obviously it goes deeper than that one match. I really was not happy with myself, my tennis, my life, my parents, my coaches, my friends," Jennifer Capriati said.

"I spent a week in bed in darkness after that, just hating everything. When I looked in my mirror, I actually saw this distorted image: I was so ugly and so fat, I just wanted to kill myself, really," she added.

Although Jennifer Capriati's struggles with form continued after her return from hiatus in 1996, she eventually overcame the challenges and won her maiden Grand Slam at the 2000 US Open. The American also triumphed at the French Open later that same year and successfully defended her title at the New York Major in 2002.