Stosur has sights set on Roland Garros
The Achilles injury that ruled Sam Stosur out of Australia's shock Fed Cup World Group Play-off loss to the Netherlands is not expected to affect her French Open chances.
's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, 20 April 2015 | AAP
The Achilles injury that ruled Sam Stosur out of Australia’s shock Fed Cup World Group Play-off loss to the Netherlands is not expected to affect her French Open chances.
The world No.25 has endured indifferent form in 2015 and was desperate to get some match time against the Dutch in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
However, not only was she unable to take the court, she had to sit back and watch as her teammates were eliminated from the top tier World Group competition.
Despite the setback, Australia captain Alicia Molik says Stosur’s plans for the French Open, which starts on 24 May, will not be impacted.
While many of the world’s top players will descend on Stuttgart in Germany for a claycourt WTA tournament, Stosur will opt for rest and recuperation in order to be at her best in Paris.
“I don’t think it will hinder her French Open preparations,” Molik told AAP.
“I know for a fact that Sam is going to take the majority of this coming week completely off tennis – that’s what her Achilles needs.
“She plays a really physical game and on clay you need to be 100 per cent with your movements.’
Molik lamented the timing of the injury flare up, but said that it had been Stosur’s decision to pull out of her two singles matches this weekend.
“Her body wasn’t responding as it should have been when she was put through her fitness test,” Molik said.
“It just goes to show how important it is to have your number one player in action, which is Sam.
“We really missed her.”