SANTA PONSA, June 20, 2017
Sabine Lisicki made a victorious return from a bicep tendon injury at the WTA Mallorca Open on Tuesday, benefiting from the retirement of Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens, who was forced to give up due to a right ankle injury at the scores of 6-2, 3-6.
“I know how it feels when you tweak something, especially during a match,” Lisicki said in her post-match press conference. “I really hope it’s nothing too seriously, but obviously I’m happy I get to play another match.”
The 27-year-old German had been sidelined through the first six months of the 2017 season, causing her ranking to tumble outside the Top 100.
“You think about the off-season as a time for a break, and that everything will be fine, but this injury just started bothering me the more I started to practice. I had it once before, and when I kept playing through it, it took ages to recover. But it’s good to be back. I don’t want to see any doctors anymore!”
Lisicki will next take on US-American Shelby Rogers.
The comeback match of Victoria Azarenka, who is returning to competition for the first time since Roland Garros last year following the December birth of her son, was suspended due to darkness with Risa Ozaki leading 3-6, 6-4, 5-4.
Reigning Mallorca Open champion Caroline Garcia successfully started her title defense. The World No. 23 from France had a tough fight against the former World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic although she made it through with a 6-4, 6-4 win in one hour and 26 minutes.
The tournament’s top seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova opened her title bid with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory over wild card entry Sara Sorribes from Spain after the match was suspended yesterday due to darkness.
Francesca Schiavone, who is about to turn 37, stunned Canadian Genie Bouchard in a great two hour and 24 minutes battle. At the end, the Italian veteran found her way through with a 6-7, 6-4 y 6-3 win.
Catherine Bellis from the United States caused the upsed of the day, knocking out the tournament’s number four Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 22 minutes.
