( CNN ) -- Rory McIlroy is well versed to talk about the pressures the modern day sport star faces . As a former world No.1 golfer and one half of a sporting super couple -- with tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki -- the Northern Irishman knows all about living in the full glare of the media spotlight . So perhaps it is not surprising that the two-time major winner has warned that as the global interest in sport increases , so will players have to deal with the type of stress-related illness that prompted England cricketer Jonathan Trott to pull out of the Ashes tour . Trott 's decision to come home from Australia has prompted a debate about the relentless schedule of many sports and the support on offer to players if they succumb to mental health issues . `` It 's sad to see something like that happen and it just shows what a mental toll sport can take on you sometimes , '' McIlroy told reporters at Royal Sydney , ahead of this week 's Australian Open as he talked about Trott 's decision to leave the tour . `` Hopefully he gets home and spends some time with his family and recovers and can come back . `` As sport becomes so big and there 's so much pressure and so much on the line , it 's becoming more and more common that these sorts of stress-related illnesses are happening and it just shows how much of a mental toll it takes on you sometimes . '' The rivalry between the England and Australia cricket teams is one of the oldest and fiercest in world sport , with the players often exchanging insults on the pitch -- a practice known as `` sledging . '' The sledging in the current series , which Australia lead 1-0 after winning the first Test match in Melbourne , saw Australia captain Michael Clarke fined for a barb aimed at England bowler James Anderson . `` I think the sledging this year has probably been a bit worse than other years as well , '' said McIlroy . `` It looks like they 're just having a go at each other after every ball ... it would be really tough to take that for however long you 're out there for . `` They seem to really get at each other 's throat whenever they 're in there . '' For McIlroy , 2013 has been a frustrating year . Since switching to playing with Nike clubs , he has struggled to recapture the form which saw him win four PGA Tour and two European Tour events in 2012 as well as the PGA Championship . `` It 's been a long year , I guess mentally more than physically , '' said the world No . 6 . `` Physically , golf does n't take that much out of you but mentally it 's quite draining , especially this year for me , not just the golf and being frustrated with my game but having to answer the questions and having to come up with reasons why I 'm not playing well and all that stuff . '' McIlroy will hope to end the year with a win , but he is up against a strong field in Sydney featuring world No . 2 and home-crowd favorite Adam Scott . `` I 've said for the last couple of months I just wanted to try and finish this season strongly and get some momentum to go into 2014 , '' added the 24-year-old McIlroy . `` This would be the perfect place to get that first win of the year and give me a sort of springboard into the next season . ''
McIlroy says pressure in sports is leading to increase in stress-relates illnesses . England cricketer Rory McIlroy left the Ashes series week citing a stress-related illness . Rory McIlroy says it shows the mental toll sport can take on athletes . The Northern Irishman was speaking ahead of this this week 's Australian Open in Sydney .