During Jennifer Brady’s 848-day layoff from tennis, probably the most troublesome factor was the “unknown.”
The former World No. 13 on the WTA Driven by Mercedes-Benz and 2021 Australian Open finalist had battled a major knee harm courting again to late 2023 that required surgical procedure, and with an in depth restoration, the harm saved her from returning to play till earlier this season. This harm got here after a close to two-year absence from August 2021 to July 2023 with comparable knee and foot points.
“I think the toughest thing was just not knowing when I would compete again — just sort of the unknown,” Brady stated to wtatennis.com Monday throughout media day forward of the Miami Open. “That was probably the toughest thing, the scariest thing.”
In late January, Brady returned to aggressive play at an ITF W100 in San Diego, California, reaching the semifinals in her first event because the 2023 China Open in Beijing. After, she obtained a qualifying draw wild card for Austin and main-draw wild playing cards for Indian Wells and now Miami, the place she’s going to face fellow American wild card Sloane Stephens within the first spherical on Wednesday, March 18.
Throughout the entire restoration course of, her will to be on the courtroom was by no means misplaced, fueling her motivation to return to the game the place she’s had loads of success.
“I really, really love this sport and I love competing,” Brady stated. “I love being able to travel to all the places that we get to go and to experience the things that we get to experience, and it’s only such a short part of your life.”
Brady’s preserving her expectations at a realistic degree, she stated, specializing in getting extra matches below her belt and slowly discovering her kind once more. Physically, Brady stated she’s feeling good, and he or she is aware of that whereas it will be nice to advance deep right into a WTA occasion, it’s not essentially a high precedence.
Her first-round assembly with Stephens will likely be simply her seventh aggressive general and third tour-level match since returning.
“When I go out there, I’m going to have expectations on myself of how I want to play,” Brady stated. “I believe it is simply not tremendous realistic to be pondering, ‘Okay, I’m going to come on the market and play the way in which that I used to be a pair years in the past.’
“I think it’s just about how I handle myself, how I compete and just trying to get small wins here and there, just try to be patient and keep building.”
In the six matches Brady’s performed this yr, she’s been aggressive in each match. All three of her defeats got here in three units, and most not too long ago the primary spherical of the BNP Paribas Open, Brady was up a set and 3-1 in opposition to World No. 55 Antonia Ruzic earlier than the match bought away from her in a 6-3, 4-6, 2-6 defeat.
“A lot of these players that I’m competing against have been playing for that time period — that last 2.5 years — that I’ve been off,” Brady stated. “They’ve been competing and playing and getting that match toughness, match fitness, all that. I think just, you know, (I’m) just taking it one day at a time, one match at a time and, you know, just keep trying to improve.”
Given Brady grew up about 40 minutes north of Miami and at the moment resides in Florida, she considers the Miami Open to be her residence event. It’s simply her third WTA Tour occasion of the season, however Brady has loved seeing a number of buddies throughout the tour and has appreciated all of the help fellow gamers have given her as she’s made her method again into the fold.
Long time period, Brady stated she is not inserting any particular metric or goal targets she desires to attain by the season’s finish, however moderately desires to take this yr to discover her recreation once more and keep wholesome. Following Miami, Brady stated she’s wanting ahead to the Credit One Charleston Open, one in every of her favourite stops on tour, including that she’ll additionally “hopefully” be in Roland Garros qualifiers utilizing her protected rating.
For now, Brady’s centered on her matchup with Stephens. Despite being each American veterans of the game, this will likely be their first-ever tour-level matchup. Similarly, Stephens entered the 2026 yr after recovering from a proper foot stress fracture harm, and each gamers are looking for their first tour-level important draw wins since their respective accidents occurred.
“It won’t be an easy match,” Brady stated. “There never is an easy match at this level. It’ll be a tough one and I know she was out a little bit for injury as well. I hope it’s a good match and I’m excited to play.”
