Safina hopes to play ahead of Australian Open
BRISBANE, Australia (AP)—Two days after tearfully pulling out of the WTA Championships with a serious back injury she thought could keep her out of the Australian Open, Dinara Safina has entered the earlier Brisbane International.
“After playing on the Gold Coast from 2004 to 2008, I am pleased to return to Queensland to play in Brisbane,” Safina said Friday in a statement issued by Brisbane International organizers.
“The Brisbane International will be the perfect tournament to get some tough match practice in the lead-up to the Australian Open. I am looking forward to the challenge and I cannot wait to get there.”
Safina said Wednesday in Doha that she faced six weeks of rest before stepping back on the court, and a potentially long rehabilitation process that could see her miss the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18. The Brisbane International runs from Jan. 3-10.
Safina lasted only 13 minutes in her first round-robin match of the season-ending championships on Wednesday before retiring while serving at 1-1 against Jelena Jankovic. Her withdrawal meant she lost the year-end No. 1 ranking to Serena Williams.
“I did everything possible to play here,” Safina said then. “As I was chasing this No. 1 (ranking), I was fighting with my body.”
After stopping play in the third game, Safina, in tears, walked over to her chair and covered her face with a towel before retiring. She said one of the discs in her lower back was “starting to fracture,” and that she has been dealing with the pain for three months.
Safina said she faced six weeks of rest before stepping back on the court, and a potentially long rehabilitation process that could see her miss the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18. The Brisbane International runs from Jan. 3-10.
“When I speak with the doctors, it doesn’t sound so good,” Safina said in Doha of the Australian Open, where she lost this year’s final to Williams. “It is possible I may have to skip it.”
On Friday, Brisbane International tournament director Steve Ayles said he was happy to confirm Safina’s appearance despite her recent injury.
“She joins Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters and Ana Ivanovic in a very strong and competitive women’s field,” Ayles said. “We have been in negotiations with Safina for some time and it is just a shame that when we are ready to announce her attendance she suffers an injury in Doha.
“Safina is a fighter and I know she is really looking forward to returning to Queensland. I have no doubt she will be here in January.”
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If he has the love and forgiveness of his family, I can surely live with that.
Peace.
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After reading the latest (today) about AA, I am not in the least concerned about him or his future. He really did act irresponsibly for a while. I just don't think he is worried about any 'damage' or 'fall-out' this book will bring, HE wrote it. I'm feeling it was an incredulous thing to do with so much to lose..not meaning wins, titles, etc.
Now we "know" he used for a year (which I think most suspected), this confirms his behavior was out of control for a long time. The insane jealousy, the hair-piece incident, two more things to wonder about.
Some of these 'reactions' to things were really over the top. One by itself could be called 'eccentric', but several, that we know of, just makes me shake my head~
While I admittedly have NO clue about the actual facts, other than Andre's own words, he sounds like he needed some serious help (psychologically). I told someone I thought this was more about those whom he choice to run with more than anything else. I know he had a hard time as a child (with his father), but there are many who have horrible relationships with a parent and don't act out like this, blame others, or write tell-all books. I suppose he can call this "cathartic", but I wonder.
His friendships with (uber-celebs) & marrying Brooke, well, we just don't know HOW much all this rubbed off on him. If he was already extremely vulnerable and lacking in self-esteem these kinds of "friendships" could really could have been very detrimental, as most are pretty parasitic by nature.
Just my thoughts here..guess this will be an "on-going" story for days to come, guess time will tell~
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I have posted my opinion in regards to drugs in America on a couple of threads. You may already have seen them. Paco and just me had a real knock down drag out disagreement on another thread in regards to Andre, drugs, Martina N., the Wms, sexual orientation, etc. It was too much for me to get involved.
Peace
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stephen szeles
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stephen szeles
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Oh, I agree! There are way too many conflicting reports and facts to have any sense of clarity about this girl's situation or future and to me that is really disconcerting~
I've really been paying attention to her this year, trying to watch for the smallest changes in her mood, or response to her team, just anything. I DO believe she's a fighter, an excellent player with so much potential, but she is NOT flourishing within her sport, to me she' withering instead almost as though it's being sucked from her marrow~
At first I thought it was 'just' the ranking pressures..then I started hearing things about injuries, then back and forth. I do believe she melted down this week, but as someone who has had significant pain nearly every day of my life for many years, I recognize how the physical and mental are very closely associated and intertwined in the brain's messaging system. If you are already in physical pain, any small emotional stress will loom that much larger and if you're stressed about something any little pain can be felt much more intensely.
Personally, I don't think Dinara's receiving good advice on "any" level. Of course I would have NO idea about that, just more an intuitive thing.
I've seen interview after interview..statement after statement..I've seen her really HAPPY and really just surviving and if she has the kind of injury reported in the news, this is serious John!!! My nephew is an Orthopedic surgeon, also a HUGE tennis fan and I emailed him and he wrote back after reading the news release we've all been reading. He thinks, based on VERY little knowledge about her situation, this is dangerous territory if she doesn't get expert advice AND treatment. He said he thought he might take surgery and for sure, much time away from tennis. He cited Taylor Dent and how it took him forever to get back to some of his original form!
So really, who knows the truth. But be certain I am praying for this young woman. I still think she's fragile and doesn't have much support at all in her life..not "real" support. You know what I mean~
Wonderful post John~
Do you think this Pandora's Box will even be sealed? I've never seen as many "new" posters, many of whom don't seem to (really) know all that much about the sport rather more about the man and even more about the "celebrity" of the man~
Just my opinion as I'm surely no expert either~
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1. If the injury is as serious as the article indicates, why not take as much time as needed for it to heal? Is an operation in order?
2. Why play Brisbane and Skip the AO when Brisbane is played 1st and skipping Brisbane would make more sense in terms of recuperation time?
Dinara may not be getting good business or medical advise.
Just my opinion. Say a prayer for her.
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I hope she'll take some REAL down time, listen to sound medical advice and stop chasing rankings period until she's mended!!! Just not worth it~something like this "could" be career ending. I DO hope she is listening to people who truly care about her & "not" advice based on what THEY would lose if she doesn't return to tennis quickly~She makes a LOT of money for many other people!!!
Having said that, I am VERY happy to see KIm and Ana playing this tournament!!!
Ana has been my "favorite", on the women's side, for a little over 2 years now and since Kim has returned she's along side Ana as being a huge favorite of me too!!! In fact I think Kim's retirement was one of the reasons I started "paying attention" to Ana and her budding career.
So if Dinara plays, and Ana's up to returning (she too has needed a LONG hiatus from tennis), and Kim's in top form, it will an event I VERY much am looking forward to watching!!!!! I'm not a Justine fan, at all, so her participation won't really be an incentive to watch~at least for me. She's a spectacular player, I simply have never been a fan of hers. My choice.
So, much success & GOOD health to all three of these ladies! Continue resting and take good care of yourselves!!
It's nice to have something positive to look forward to amidst all the fall-out, in the last couple of days, with these new revelations about Andre.
Go get `em girls :-)
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