"For me, Lindsey was a very important person in my fight back. After everything broke in my knee, she contacted me," said Lisicki in an interview with SPOX.

Vonn's advice, who also struggled with a serious knee injury in her successful career, was "a great support" for Lisicki in rehab. After a cruciate ligament rupture at the end of 2020, she was unable to lift her operated leg for four weeks. "If you suddenly lose control of your leg, you get scared," said Lisicki.

The "fire" is still burning

But now the 32-year-old is back on the tennis court with full vigour. "I wanted and want to go back to the biggest places in the world and play in front of spectators. That was and is my biggest drive," said the former number twelve in the world.

Lisicki wants to work her way up the rankings "bit by bit" and there is no end in sight to her career - because the "fire" in her is still burning: "I don't set myself any limits. When I wake up one day and realize that If it's not like that anymore, I'll worry about it, but not before."