🎾💥🤕 Tennis Injuries: Da Hard Road Back To Da Court
Pauhana, brah. Alexander Zverev neva take long fo’ realize his kine situation wen stay kawabonga during da French Open las’ year. He an’ Rafael Nadal, dem stay grinding, shooting mad tennis shots, you know, an’ den Zverev wen’ roll his ankle, make loud kine noise an’ boom, down on da red clay.🎾🌋🔊
Zverev said his ankle wen’ become tree times da size it should be.😲 Da injury wen’ put him out of da tennis world fo’ da rest of 2022 an’ his ATP ranking wen’ slide from No. 2 to outside da top 20. Was no sweet.
Injuries, yeah? Dem stay part of da game but can put you out fo’ long time. Zverev’s oppenent dat day, Nadal, neva played a tour match since he wen’ hurt his psoas muscle during da Australian Open in January. Den, in May, Nadal, 14-time Roland Garros champion, wen’ say aloha to da French Open.🎾🌍👋🏻
In da las’ 18 months, Nadal wen’ go through chronic foot pain, cracked rib an’ torn abdominal muscle. An’ den he said 2024 prob’ly goin’ be his last year pro, an’ dat he no like play Wimbledon dis year.😢🏆🌱
Emma Raducanu, 2021 United States Open winner, been out injured, surgery on both wrists an’ one ankle. Andy Murray, Wimbledon an’ U.S. Open champ, announced his retiremen’ before 2019 Australian Open, but den came back. Stan Wawrinka, tree-time major champ, wen’ think about retiremen’ afta plenty surgeries on his knee an’ ankle. He was world No. 3 but now, he stay fighting to stay in da top 100.🏆💪👀
Den we get da kine words, nobody like: injuries, surgery, rehab. All dis stuff stay mad heavy on tennis players’ minds. Deir bodies, brains, even wallets take da hit. ‘Cause tennis not one team sport, so no get kine medical coverage. Tennis players gotta do da hard work, come back strong an’ it no easy. 💔🧠💰
Dominic Thiem, 2020 U.S. Open champ, wen’ talk about how he neva experience injury befo’, an’ how da wrist injury in June 2021 wen’ take him out fo’ months. His ranking wen’ dive from No. 3 to No. 352, had fo’ play lower-level Challenger tournaments. Now, he back in da top 100 but da journey back, hard as lava rock.🏅💥⛰️
Returning from long time out can be hard as da injury itself. Da travel, da pressure, da worry of getting hurt again, all dis can mess with one player’s recovery. Like Bianca Andreescu, she know all about dis. She wen’ had back troubles in 2022, started to get back on track at da Miami Open in March. But den, she wen’ fall during her match, grabbing her left leg, screaming in pain.💔🌴🗣️
But Andreescu, she not only work on her body, she work on her mind too. She believe dat everything start in da head. Stress, injuries, everything. If can get da mind right, can come back easier from injuries.🧘🏽♀️💪🧠
Da WTA takes injury prevention and rehabilitation seriously. Get programming an’ staff dedicated to da athletes’ physical an’ psychological well-being. When one WTA player stay injured, or pregnant, fo’ at least eight straight weeks, she can apply fo’ a Special Ranking. Dis means dat when she come back, she get da same ranking an’ can enter eight tournaments over a 52-week span with dat ranking. Da ATP get something similar called Protected Ranking.💼🤰📈
Becky Ahlgren Bedics, da WTA’s vice president of mental health and performance, she know how hard injuries can hit da mind. She encourage players to manage deir expectations when they return to play. She said, “Injuries take you out of training and competition and force you to regroup and prioritize your life differently,” she even tell players who off the tour to delete WTA rankings from their phones, so they don’t stress about where they stand. 😨📱⛔
Daria Saville, she been battling Achilles’ tendon and plantar fasciitis issues since 2016. She had surgery afta the 2021 Australian Open, no play for almost one year. She said, “Every time I get injured, I think about my life and wonder what it will be like without tennis,” 🤔🏥🎾
Thiem wen’ make connections between his wrist injury and when he won da U.S. Open. He said achieving dat goal made him lose passion an’ motivation to play, an’ he practiced less intensively, leading to da injury. He said, “I can’t forget, that all the time when I didn’t play, the other players were playing, they were practicing and improving and moving ahead of me. That makes it even harder to come back.” 😭🏆🏃♂️
So, brah, da road back to da tennis court afta big injury? Ho, it stay rough. But you gotta remember, no pain, no gain. Players gotta come back strong, gotta be pono with their bodies an’ their minds. 🎾🤙🏝️
NOW IN ENGLISH
🎾💥🤕 Tennis Injuries: The Challenging Journey Back to the Court
It didn’t take long for Alexander Zverev to grasp the severity of his situation during the French Open last year. After hours of intense play with Rafael Nadal, Zverev rolled his ankle and collapsed on the red clay. His ankle swelled up to three times its usual size, an injury that sidelined him for the rest of 2022 and caused his ATP ranking to slip from No. 2 to outside the top 20.🎾🌍🔊
Injuries, unfortunately, are part of the game and can lead to long absences. Nadal, Zverev’s opponent that day, hasn’t played a tour match since he injured his psoas muscle during the Australian Open in January. In May, the 14-time Roland Garros champion announced his withdrawal from the French Open. Over the past 18 months, he’s experienced chronic foot pain, a cracked rib, and a torn abdominal muscle. He also announced that 2024 is likely to be his last year professionally and that he does not plan to play Wimbledon this year. 😢🏆🌱
Emma Raducanu, winner of the 2021 United States Open, has also suffered frequent injuries, with surgeries on both wrists and one ankle. Andy Murray, a Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, made a retirement announcement before the 2019 Australian Open, only to return to the game. Stan Wawrinka, a three-time major champion, considered retirement following numerous surgeries on his knee and ankle. Once ranked No. 3 globally, Wawrinka is now striving to stay in the top 100. 🏆💪👀
The terms ‘injuries’, ‘surgery’, and ‘rehab’ are daunting for any athlete. For professional tennis players, the path back to the ATP and WTA Tours can be physically, mentally, and financially taxing. Tennis, being an individual sport, doesn’t offer the safety net of team sports’ comprehensive medical coverage. 💔🧠💰
Dominic Thiem, champion of the 2020 U.S. Open, discussed his first experience with a significant injury: a wrist injury in June 2021 that sidelined him for months. This caused his ranking to plummet from No. 3 to No. 352, forcing him to play lower-level Challenger tournaments. Today, he’s back in the top 100, but the journey has been challenging. 🏅💥⛰️
Returning from an extended break can be as challenging as the injury itself. The stress of constant travel, the pressure of matches, and the fear of re-injury can negatively impact a player’s recovery. Bianca Andreescu, who faced persistent back problems in 2022, began making a comeback at the Miami Open in March. But she fell during her match, clutching her left leg in agony. 💔🌴🗣️
Andreescu emphasizes not just physical recovery, but also the mental aspect. She believes that many issues, including stress and injuries, start in the mind. If one can cultivate a positive mindset, it becomes easier to recover from injuries. 🧘🏽♀️💪🧠
The WTA takes injury prevention and rehabilitation very seriously. It offers programs and staff dedicated to the athletes’ physical and psychological well-being. If a WTA player is injured or pregnant for at least eight consecutive weeks, she can apply for a Special Ranking, allowing her to maintain her ranking upon return and enter eight tournaments over a 52-week span with that ranking. The ATP has a similar program, the Protected Ranking. 💼🤰📈
Injuries not only take a toll physically but mentally as well. They disrupt training and competition, leading athletes to reassess their priorities. Becky Ahlgren Bedics, the WTA’s vice president of mental health and performance, understands this well and encourages players to manage their expectations when returning to play.
Daria Saville, who has struggled with Achilles’ tendon and plantar fasciitis issues since 2016, speaks about the challenges of being on tour and the difficulties that injuries bring.
Reflecting on his injury, Thiem made a connection between his wrist injury and his win at the U.S. Open. According to him, after achieving that goal, he lost his passion and motivation, leading to less intense practice sessions and ultimately his injury. It’s been a tough journey back, and he’s acutely aware of his competitors’ advancements during his absence.
In conclusion, returning to professional tennis after significant injury is a grueling journey. But remember, without struggle, there’s no progress. Players need to recover with resilience and mindfulness, taking care of both their bodies and minds. 🎾🤙🏝️
