Two more comebacks! Sania Mirza and Lisa Raymond want to know it again
In 2020, the WTA Tour will be enriched by two attractions: Sania Mirza and Lisa Raymond will also be back in business.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Nov 29, 2019, 06:06 pm
Comebacks are currently in vogue: Kim Clijsters and Tatiana Golovin recently announced their return to the tour, now with Sania Mirza and Lisa Raymond, two top players in doubles, want to know again.
Raymond was even back in October at the ITF tournament in Asuncion back on the field and won their first match on the side of Allie Kiick. After a knee operation, however, she wants to take it slow at first.
Most recently Raymond had played at the 2015 US Open. With Kiick, the 46-year-old wants to compete again in 2020, as she revealed to the site tennis.life . For one, because Kiick's coach wanted her protégé to play more doubles; partly because Raymond himself also wanted to achieve a few things on the Doppelcourt.
Serena Williams as inspiration
Whereupon the question arises, what still has her goal: Raymond was one of the best double actors of the last 20 years, she won 79 titles; 33 of them with Rennae Stubbs and 20 with Sam Stosur. In six Grand Slam tournaments, the American was successful. Overall, she won all majors at least once - the US Open even three times. The number 1 of the double world ranking put them for 137 weeks. Also in the individual, Raymond made it to 15th place - in 1997 - and won four tournaments.
Only next season will return Sania Mirza. The 33-year-old from India had interrupted her career in 2017 because she was pregnant. A comeback was not necessarily scheduled, because she had no idea how her body would react to such a long sports break and childbirth, Mirza told Outlook India . The return of Serena Williams, however, has given her self-confidence. "There is enough self-motivation to come back but it’s nice to see people like Serena competing at Grand Slams after having a baby, it’s obviously very inspiring."
Mirza won three Grand Slam tournaments, all on the side of Martina Hingis, with whom she formed the team "SanTina". Also in the individual Mirza ranked 27th in the world.