Thanks to Tennis Info Blog I discovered the lengthy interview of Alisa Kleybanova for the Sovestkiy Sport Magazine, where the 22-year-old revealed that her March comeback from Hodgkin’s lymphoma was premature and she should have taken more time before returning to the pro competition.
Remember, less than a year after being diagnosed with cancer, the former world No.20 Kleybanova started playing again and she actually won her opener in Miami. Even though doctors gave her a green light, the young Russian believes she should have waited longer.
Now I know that my comeback to tennis was too early. Of course, I was really happy to win my first-round match, but had no gas in the tank left.
After Miami, Kleybanova was scheduled to play Madrid, but opted out and waited until the Rome tournament, where in the second set of her first match in the prequalifying, she could hardly move. She had to play her next match on the next day, but couldn’t recover.
Here’s what Kleybanova says about her future plans:
I need to have a thorough examination of my body, not in terms of being healthy/unhealthy, but rather in terms of the recovery process and how it works. Through friends I found a medical center ready to provide me with appropriate services. For the time being, I have to take another break from competitive play.
In the interview Kleybanova also mentioned how much she appreciates Ekaterina Makarova and Vera Zvonareva for having traveled to Italy to visit her while she was hospitalized. (translation of quotes via Alisa Kleybanova’s official website, photo: © Neal Trousdale)
She should be careful with her health. Sometimes the healthy players overdo it so she needs to take twice as much care.