The Australian tennis star plans a return to grand slam action this month at the US Open, after an extended injury time-out.
For the first time in months, Sam Stosur has resumed training with a real tennis ball.
The Australian tennis champion has been reduced to knocking around a lightweight substitute, often used by younger children just starting in tennis, as she recovers from a fractured hand sustained in the fourth round of the French Open this year.
The injury took longer than expected to heal, meaning she was demoted to spectator for Wimbledon and the grass court season.
But Stosur says she never considered hanging up the racquet for good.
"Even this time out with injury, I've never once thought, 'That's okay, I've enjoyed this time at home, I don't want to do it any more'. I'm probably more motivated now than I have been in recent times."
After early losses in Brisbane and Sydney at the beginning of this year, a cloud was cast over the 33 year-old's form.
But Stosur denies she's been consistently below par on the court.
"Before I hurt myself at the French (Open) I thought I was playing some of the best tennis I've played in many many months. So I had won 8-9 matches straight and I felt like I was in a really good position."
But she's still yet to match the highs of her 2011 season.
That year, Stosur reached a career high of 4th in the world and won her first and only Grand Slam singles title, the US Open.
A victory, she says, made even sweeter in that her opponent in the final was fierce rival Serena Williams.
"I'm very proud of that fact and it was on the biggest stage possible. The next time we played after New York she beat me pretty easily but I don't care I still got to hold that trophy and that's all that matters!"
With a Grand Slam singles and nine WTA titles to her name, retired tennis star Todd Woodbridge says he considers Stosur one of the greatest in Australian tennis history.
"I look at Sam Stosur and think she's been one of the best we've ever had in tennis, that's male or female. I look at her as being one of the most successful players we've ever had."
And 18 years after she got started, Stosur says more success is on the horizon.
"The ultimate would have to be winning another slam. Who knows? It's not an easy thing to do but if I could that I would be extremely happy."
The US Open begins the last week of August.
SBS's US Open coverage will commence Wednesday 6 September during the quarter finals.
Share
