Bonita Springs (AP) – The former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki celebrated at least one victory on her tennis comeback after a break of almost a year and a half.
At the start of the qualification for the ITF tournament in Bonita Springs, USA, the 32-year-old prevailed 6: 3, 6: 4 against the Japanese Ena Shibahara. On Tuesday, however, she lost to the Romanian Gabriela Lee 2:6, 2:6 and missed the leap into the main draw.
Lisicki suffered a severe cruciate ligament injury in her knee in November 2020 and fought for her return for a long time. The Berliner is currently no longer in the world rankings, in 2013 she was in the final of the grass classic in Wimbledon.
Lisicki was emotionally pleased with her success against Shibahara. “For me it was already a success just to be on the pitch and play a full match,” she told the “Bild”. “And that after such a serious knee operation, where everything that could be broken was broken.”