Anne's back in action
Check out the vid of her first practice session…
Anne Keothavong hit her first tennis balls in nearly two months on Monday as she continues in her bid to return to action in February 2010.
The British No.1 damaged both the anterior cruciate ligament and the meniscus in her left knee in a collision with a fence during a doubles match at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California.
But after surgery on the joint last month, the Londoner is making good progress towards her goal of a Fed Cup return next year.
Under the watchful eyes of the LTA’s head coach of women’s tennis Nigel Sears, her coach Claire Curran, and physios Andy Ireland and Will Herbert, Anne got her first feel for the ball in two months during a light half-hour practice at the National Tennis Centre, Roehampton.
And Keothavong told her website she was pleasantly surprised by how quickly she got back into her game.
“I thought I might have fresh-aired a few,” she admitted, “but I should back myself a bit more and have faith in myself!”
Off-court, there is still a lot of work to be done before Keothavong regains the stability and mobility in the joint, but having sustained the same injury to her right knee five years ago, the British No.1 knows what she is up against.
In the meantime, Keothavong has used the time on the sidelines to work on her upper body strength, but has also made time to relax and enjoy life away from the tour.
“It’s been quite nice to be away from tennis and do other things,” she said. “But to get out there and strike a few and feel quite good is pleasing.
And while she is already noticing an improvement in her left leg, she knows there is still some way to go.
“I’ve gone from having my leg looking like a twig to actually looking like its got some muscle in it now,” she told her website. “I was a bit self-conscious before, walking around with one big leg and one little leg!
“I’m doing a lot of stuff in the hydropool, and that’s helping me a lot this time around compared to five years ago.
There’s still a long way to go, but Anne’s goal of returning to represent Great Britain in the Fed Cup in February remains in sight.
“I’m doing everything I can to make that February timeframe,” Keothavong said. “Fed Cup is my goal. I’ve got to prove myself on the court to make sure I get my place on the team. I should be able to show that I’m on the right track by Christmas.
“You always feel very proud when you represent your country, and for women that’s the one team event of the year so that’s something I really want to be part of.”
The British No.1 also paid tribute to her fans and followers on twitter for their support since the injury.
“I’ve had really nice messages, and I appreciate that. It’s nice to know there are people out there wanting to see me do well and see me back on court.”