I spent a whole year when I was injured just trying to get my arm back to the point where I could hit a tennis ball for more than 30 minutes a day. I'd hit for 15 minutes and it would feel as if my arm was going to fall off.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Not many people know, but my joints are extremely hypermobile, and that's why I'm more prone to injuries. That's why most of my major injuries were with the joints. I had a career-threatening wrist injury where picking up a fork to feed myself was a problem, and the thought of playing tennis again was so far from my mind.
But in 2000, the injuries really started to kick in and my elbow gave a lot of problems. At the end of the year I had to take 20 months off before I could come back into the game.
I'm one injury away from hanging up the racket at any time.
When your arm gets hit, the ball is not going to go where you want it to.
I have a strong tennis arm.
I never had a serious injury that kept me out of a big competition. Now everyone has injuries - to their feet or their knees or their backs.
Even when I was young, playing college football, and I injured my knee, I bounced right back.
As soon as I step on the court I just try to play tennis and don't find excuses. You know, I just lost because I lost, not because my arm was sore.
I wouldn't take any of my injuries back; I feel like I'm stronger as an athlete because of all those setbacks.
My arm came back just as quickly as it went sore on me in 1915. I awoke one morning and learned I could throw without pain again.