Stosur Recovering After Ankle Surgery Written by: Staff on 31st December 2012
Samantha Stosur will need a major comeback effort as the top Australian begins her season after ankle surgery in the off-season. The No. 9 and former US Open winner had a bone spur removed and had to lay low for three weeks of recovery, interrupting her training regime.
I first started getting symptoms in July 2007. I was at Wimbledon playing and woke up one day with a lump in the side of my neck. I got some tests done as they didn’t know what it was and they weren’t too sure what they were looking for. Nothing came out of the test.
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Spotlight on Sam Stosur By Liz Graham
Newly crowned US Open champ Sam Stosur talks to Liz Graham about second chances and staying cool on the court.
~~~~ Did you know? Sam Stosur is ambidextrous. She plays right-handed but writes with her left. ~~~~
Sam Stosur is one humble woman. Two days after winning the biggest match of her life – and defeating a fierce Serena Williams in front of a vocal US crowd to clinch the US Open women's singles title – Stosur happily spoke to body+soul. Asked about her training regimen, she says: "Tennis players play all year round, so I generally have a pretty healthy lifestyle."
In reality, she trains nearly every day, including Christmas Day, for up to three hours a day. Ask her about her ability on the court, and she says: "I've worked hard to become the best player I can be." What she doesn't say is that she's known for having one of the best serves on circuit and that she has risen from a ranking of 52 to her current spot at seven in less than three years.
Ask her about the biggest lesson tennis has given her, and she says: "Be respectful, friendly and nice to people." And that sums up this champion perfectly.
"Second chance"
Stosur started playing tennis with her older brother Daniel at the age of eight. He noticed her ability and convinced their parents to get her coaching. She started playing professional tournaments at 16.
A string of illnesses at the age of 23 was the turning point for Stosur. Lyme disease and viral meningitis forced her out of professional tennis for almost a year. Before that, she had won many doubles titles but had only moderate success as a singles player.
Stosur says her recovery time gave her a "second chance" at tennis, as it strengthened her resolve to win a grand-slam singles title. "It was a long, slow process, but it gave me the chance to re-evaluate my goals and leave no stone unturned to achieve them," she says.
By 2009, she had won her first Women's Tennis Association tournament and had made it to the semi-finals of the French Open.
Illness also changed Stosur's attitude to happiness. "When all of a sudden you can't do what you love, it gives you a new appreciation for the everyday things. I really do enjoy every single day now."
The mental edge
Stosur's steely composure in the US Open final showed how far she has come mentally, compared with her nervy loss in the French Open final in 2010.
"The French Open final helped me greatly. This time around I was much more relaxed and knew what to expect. Being in a grand-slam final isn't like any other match on the tour… you use up a lot of nervous energy," she says.
Positive thinking is crucial, Stosur says. But it can't just come from you – the people around you are also important. She points to coach David Taylor's reaction to her first-round loss in Wimbledon this year. "He said, 'We will go out and work harder and it's all going to pay off'," she says. "At the next grand slam it has. He believes in me and that is all you can ask for in a coach."
Her mantra for staying cool on the court is "control the things you can control", which she says applies to any pressured situation. "I also use some breathing exercises and take my time between points so I can maintain my concentration," she says.
Staying strong
At 27, Stosur says her age is an asset to her game. "The game is a lot more physical now and there aren't as many teenagers dominating the way they did a few years ago," she says. "A bit of maturity probably helps you deal with all the travel and the tour lifestyle as well."
Stosur's fitness regimen is tough – she trains six days a week. In the lead-up to a competition, she will do at least 90 minutes of on-court practice with Taylor, and an hour-long fitness training session, working on her sprinting, agility and power-to-weight ratio. "I really appreciate what my body can do now," Stosur says.
Off the court, she is a keen surfer and swimmer and a recent mountain biking convert.
Her approach to her diet is down to earth. "I think it's important to have a balanced approach and I enjoy a bit of everything," she says. "I enjoy good food but eat lots of fruit and vegies, as well as the carbs athletes require. But I can't start the day without a good coffee!"
Looking to the future
"To achieve grand-slam success has been my goal since I was eight years old," Stosur says. "It's easy to doubt your ability sometimes as it's a long journey. I've always worked hard to become the best player I can be, and to believe in myself."
Rising to number one in the rankings is now possible, but Stosur is focusing on playing on local soil again and representing her country. "Obviously I'd love more grand-slam success. I've got so much to look forward to. I can't wait to play at the Australian Open in January and the Olympics next year."
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