CALGARY/STARNBERG, November 13, 2023

Sabine Lisicki has clinched her first title since 2014 by winning the Calgary National Bank Challenger held indoors at the at the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre. The 34-year-old German defeated Stacey Fung of Canada 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 6-3 in Sunday’s singles final.

Lisicki struck 13 aces and won 66 per cent of her first-service points to secure victory in two hours and 37 minutes. The former World No. 12, who reached the 2013 Wimbledon final, captured her third career title on the ITF Pro Circuit in addition to her four triumphs on the WTA Tour.

Exactly three years ago, Lisicki suffered a severe knee injury on the court, and her professional tennis career was thought to be over.

Title 🏆🥹
First title since knee reconstruction surgery which has been almost exactly 3 years ago. The odds were against me to ever play pro tennis again, yet 19 months of brutal rehab, training, believing and here we are. We made it. We won in Calgary! 🥹🏆 pic.twitter.com/kXoci046qz

— Sabine Lisicki (@sabinelisicki) November 13, 2023

“I’m a very positive person,” said the 376th-ranked Lisicki afterwards. “So I knew right away that I would be back. But the thing is when nobody’s ever came back from such a severe injury in tennis, you don’t know how far you can actually go.

“My parents have supported me. My dad was actually there when I got injured, so he heard me screaming and he took me to the hospital. I probably put some grey hairs on his head. So we’re all just thankful to be here as a family together.”

Lisicki earned nearly $9,400 in prize money as well as valuable 80 WTA Ranking points.