THE former boyfriend of Jennifer Capriati says her recent drug overdose was linked to his return to work in the porn industry and her depression over being forced out of tennis by injuries.
The 34-year-old former international tennis star was reportedly rushed to the hospital early Sunday from her 19th floor luxury condo in Riviera Beach, Florida, just north of West Palm Beach.
Her father claims that an accidental overdose of prescription medication was to blame.
Her former boyfriend Dale DaBone told TMZ that Capriati got horribly depressed when Grand Slam events were being played, and that she was also upset about his recent return to working in porn.
DaBone had worked in 443 films, the entertainment website reported, and recently signed on with Vivid Entertainment to star in Batman XXX: A Porn Parody.
Meanwhile on CBS’s The Early Show today, Justin Gimelstob, a former tennis star and a friend of Capriati’s, said he heard from Jennifer’s mother, who told him she is doing well physically and is resting.
Mr Gimelstob added her major shoulder surgeries haven’t hampered her aspirations to play, “but she’s in tremendous pain physically and mentally. She struggled with depression, and it’s a tough story.”
The U.S. teen prodigy won three Grand Slam singles titles – the 2001 and 2002 Australian Open, and 2001 French Open – and the women’s singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games.
After turning professional at the age of 13, she won 14 singles titles and one doubles title.
Struggling with the pressures of the professional tour, Capriati took a break from competitive tennis in late 1993.
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