Mardy Fish switches from pro-tennis to golf at 3M Open, using platform to talk mental health
BLAINE, Minn. -- A Minnesotan who made a name for himself as a tennis pro is now creating a new sports legacy.
Mardy Fish is able to play in the 3M Open with a sponsor exemption. He will be the first athlete to play in the ATP Tour for tennis and the PGA tour for golf, which is a goal of his to do something that hasn't been done before.
"It's just good to be back in Minnesota, you know, I don't get back too often," said Fish.
He warmed up with the rest of his competitors out at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine on Monday. This is a homecoming for him, but an introduction for his two young kids.
"It was my son and daughter's first time in … Minnesota," said Fish. "Some of the best work I've done as a dad is getting [my son] to root for the Vikings and the Twins."
Originally from Edina, Fish moved to Florida as a kid, pursuing a tennis career that led to going professional in the early 2000s. He played at Wimbledon in 2011, where he made it to the quarterfinals. He even earned a silver medal team USA in the 2004 Olympics.
Today, he's still swinging trading a racket for a club.
"I know my swing and like I know my miss," said Fish. "I kind of try and just be an athlete, and kind of remind myself to, you know, swing smooth, swing easy."
Part of being an athlete is also being a role model. Since his pro-tennis career, Fish has been open about his struggles with mental health. For Fish to share this publicly, allowed him to be the role model he never had.
"When I was going through my issues, I didn't have a success story to lean on. Again, I'm a sports fan and I didn't have like an athlete that said, 'Oh, you know, I struggled and I got back on the court,'" said Fish.
Fish hopes his vulnerability inspires more athletes to open up about taking care of yourself.
"Saying 'I don't feel great, and it's not about my body or anything like that. It's about my mind,'" said Fish. "It's OK to be not OK."
Fish said he encourages anyone to message him on Twitter who wants help or advice, and he makes a point to get back to everyone who reaches out to him about that topic.
As for this tournament, the 3M Open starts this Thursday, July 21, and goes through Sunday, July 24.
It's open to the public, with the purchase of tickets.