ABSTRACT
In the late 90s and early 2000s, with the emergence of the phenomenon “Guga” (Gustavo Kuerten), the Brazilian tennis player who was three-time Roland Garros champion, when he finished the year ranked number one by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). At this time, tennis became more popular in Brazil, with an exponential increase in the number of practitioners in the country, including children, young people and adults. However, the practice of tennis at a high level requires dedication, physical and psychological preparation. At this time, there is a concern regarding competitive pressures placed by the coach, family and the competition environment on junior players. Thus, one of the major problems involving children and competition is burnout. According to Smith (1986), burnout is a psychological, emotional and physical withdrawal from a formerly pursued and enjoyable sport as a result of excessive stress over time. Burnout, a negative effect of stress from training and competition, impairs the quality of life of the athletes, causing the abandonment of the sport and abbreviating careers (Gould et al., 1996). Since this phenomenon can be deleterious to the athlete’s career, researchers and coaches should investigate the possible reasons that lead young people to abandon competitive tennis practice. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to compare gender and age to increase knowledge of the topic in a Brazilian sample. Also, we hope that our results will support coaches in the development of training programmes and competitions that encourage young people to maintain involvement in sports like tennis.
