Injured Venus vows to fight on
Venus Williams of the Untied States makes a backhand return to Sandra Zahlavova of the Czech Republic during their match at the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday.SD-Agencies
VENUS WILLIAMS suffered a muscle injury in the second round of the Australian Open yesterday, describing the ailment as one of the toughest to bear in her career, but played through the pain to beat unheralded Czech Sandra Zahlavova 6-7, 6-0, 6-4.
China’s Li Na also advanced, beating Evgeniya Rodina of Russia 6-3, 6-2.
The 30-year-old American screamed in agony after a volley in the final point of the first set tiebreak and hobbled off court to take a medical time-out between sets at a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena.
She re-emerged gingerly with her right thigh heavily strapped and despite grimacing in pain throughout, blasted her way through the second set before sealing the win with a big serve that Zahlavova pushed wide.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion later said she had strained a psoas, a lower back muscle with tendons linked to the spine and hip, and could only hope the injury would “calm down” to allow her to play the next round.
“I think this is probably the most acute one that I’ve ever had,” Williams said, when asked to compare the strain with other injuries in her career.
“In recent times that I can remember pain, I think this was one of the toughest ones for sure.
“But I just wanted to stay on the court and try to survive and see if I could feel better another day.”
Williams’ Melbourne Park campaign is her first tournament in four months since suffering a knee injury at the U.S. Open.
The American has made a career of gritting out tough matches with niggling injuries, but suggested she would not have played out the contest if it were a lesser tournament.
“I think this being a major definitely has a lot to do with me staying on the court.
“I really haven’t retired from a match in any tournament in quite a long time. I think that’s a testament to how I feel when I step on the court. I’m there to stay.”
Williams won her last Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2008, but the closest she has come to the Melbourne Grand Slam was in 2003, when she was beaten by her sister Serena.
Venus, who had “hated” every day of her rehabilitation from the knee injury, may face another stint in recovery, but said she had never despaired over her injuries.
“I think mental fatigue from dealing with injuries comes from when you just don’t think you can make it back. I’ve always felt that I can make it back.
“I think what keeps me going is knowing that when I’m healthy I play really, really well. And knowing that I have so much good tennis in my body keeps me motivated to keep going to rehab.”
Williams’s dress designs have raised eyebrows for years and the see-through yellow lattice top she wore paired with a rainbow print skirt will be sure to polarize opinion once more.
“The outfit is inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Yeah, don’t laugh,” she said.
“But it’s kind of about a surprise, because when Alice goes down the hole, the rabbit hole, she finds all these things that are so surprising.
“So it’s called the Wonderland dress. It was fun.”
(SD-Agencies)
Source:ShenzhenDaily | Editer:王佳