Sabine Lisicki on the dark days of her career: "After 15 minutes I ran out of strength"
Sabine Lisicki has been open about her phase of weakness due to a serious illness. The now 30-year-old suffered from glandular fever in 2019, which led to long symptoms of exhaustion.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 25, 2020, 09:38 am
"I started to feel weak, but I didn't know why," said Lisicki, describing her time of suffering at Behind The Racquet . It took the doctors more than six months to make the diagnosis. "I didn't even have the strength to go to the supermarket," says Lisicki. "When I got the approval from the doctors, I had to start all over again. After just 15 minutes of training, I had no more strength and was exhausted. I was slowly gaining momentum again, I wanted to return to the tour when the pandemic struck . "
Lisicki played her last match in the qualifying final of Wimbledon in July 2019, where she failed in three sets against Lesley Kerkhove. Her last win in a main draw on the WTA Tour came in September 2018 in Guangzhou (China).
"In life you are given nothing for free," is Lisicki's verdict. "Whether it's on the tennis court or in an office, you have to work hard to be successful. My love of sports has allowed me to stay positive. Playing in a crowded stadium is the best feeling in the world."
Sabine Lisicki: "Tennis is my life"
Lisicki emphasizes that her parents never gave up and always supported her. "Tennis is my life," she says. During breaks with injuries or illness, she could not watch live tennis because it would have been too mentally painful. Instead, she analyzed her own past matches to study the tactical aspects of the sport.
"I understand the game in a different way," says Lisicki. "I hope to keep playing tennis after my time on tour, but now the goal is to get better as a tennis player and as a person." During the lockdown due to the corona pandemic, she started her own YouTube channel, on which she wants to encourage people to move. "I hope you enjoy my workouts during this difficult time."
Lisicki was in the final of Wimbledon in 2013. A year earlier, she was 12th in the WTA ranking, higher than ever. She has won four tournaments on the tour so far.