Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Few players on the WTA Tour would be as unlucky as Iroda Tulyaganova. Four years back, then as a 20-year-old, the Uzbek girl was enjoying her career-best singles ranking of 16.
She also won gold at the Busan Asian Games that year. Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Anastasia Myskina, Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina, Jelena Dokic8212; she8217;s had career wins over them all.
However, an injury to her right elbow forced Iroda out of the circuit for three years starting 2003. The Uzbek who is now on a comeback trail, says fate couldn8217;t have been more cruel to her.
8220;It feels very sad. I too could have been where these girls are now. I was playing some of my best tennis when the elbow injury meant I couldn8217;t compete for three years. I went through a very hard time. On the financial front too, life was tough. But I guess life8217;s like that,8221; Iroda told The Indian Express minutes after her qualifying win at the Sunfeast Open.
The former junior Wimbledon champion though says those years spent away from the court taught her to look at life from a different perspective. 8220;Now I8217;m a lot more relaxed. I don8217;t kill myself if I lose a match. I enjoy my tennis a lot more these days,8221; she said.
Though the Uzbek is currently ranked 346, she sent out a warning to her colleagues on the Tour. 8220;I8217;ve always been a winner in my life. And, I8217;m making a comeback not to linger around the Top-100, but to even better my highest ranking of 16. I do see myself ranked within the Top-10 in the world in the future. For the moment though, I8217;ll be happy if I can finish this season inside the Top-200,8221; she said.
The Sunfeast Open may be only her sixth tournament in her comeback year, but she has already made the year count. Iroda won the Asian Championships in Tashkent last week and has got herself a wild card for next season8217;s first Grand Slam 8212; the Australian Open.
Iroda may be trying to pull her game together, but she says she needs a coach to help her realise her dream. At the moment she can8217;t afford it, but she says she8217;s applied to the Federation for help. So how different is she finding the Tour now? 8220;Well, it used to be friendlier. Now, it8217;s just competitive,8221; she said.
