He’s back!
Mardy Fish will make a much grander return next month when he plays singles at the Indian Wells Masters, but he returned to competitive tennis during first-round doubles action at the Dallas Challenger on Wednesday. Partnering Mark Knowles, the 33-year-old American won his opening match over No. 1 seeds James Cerretani and James Cluskey 6-4, 7-5.
“For sure,” Fish said when asked if there were nerves. “I felt it in the beginning. It’s been 20 months. It’s been a while. But it’s nice to play some doubles here with Mark.”
“Thirteen years and a lifetime in tennis later, things feel different,” Serena wrote. “A few months ago, when Russian official Shamil Tarpischev made racist and sexist remarks about Venus and me, the WTA and USTA immediately condemned him. It reminded me how far the sport has come, and how far I’ve come too.
“I have thought about going back to Indian Wells many times over my career. I said a few times that I would never play there again. And believe me, I meant it. I admit it scared me. What if I walked onto the court and the entire crowd booed me? The nightmare would start all over.
“…I’m fortunate to be at a point in my career where I have nothing to prove. I’m still as driven as ever, but the ride is a little easier. I play for the love of the game. And it is with that love in mind, and a new understanding of the true meaning of forgiveness, that I will proudly return to Indian Wells in 2015.”
[polldaddy poll=8635631]
Leave a Reply