Bethanie Mattek-Sands, in the field this week for the Australian Open wild card playoffs, says she is rejuvenated after an injury-filled 2012.(Photo: Leon Neal, AFP/Getty Images)
Story Highlights
- Bethanie Mattek-Sands says she is rejuvenated after an injury-filled 2012
- The veteran is in the field for this week’s Australian Open wildcard playoffs
- 8 men and 8 women will chase a wild-card spot into the main draw of the season’s first major
12:26PM EST December 13. 2012 – After a 2012 season in which Bethanie Mattek-Sands saw her ranking tumble to No. 173 — her lowest year-end ranking since 2002 — the former top-30 American is fit and ready to climb back into the tennis conversation.
“Physically I’m feeling the best I’ve had in a long time,” said Mattek-Sands, who missed a significant portion of last season with a right shoulder tear. “It’s the first time in a long time I wake up and I feel good, and thiat’s exciting.”
Mattek-Sands is part of the eight-player Australian Open wild-card playoff Friday through Sunday in Norcross, Ga. The winner — there are draws for both men and women — will earn a wild card into the 2013 Australian Open main draw.
The 27-year-old Mattek-Sands, now ranked No. 169, will play a relatively young and unknown field of Americans in Mallory Burdette, Julia Cohen, Irina Falconi, Alexa Glatch, Alison Riske and last year’s playoff winner Madison Keys and 2011 U.S. Open juniors champion Grace Min.
“It’s good for U.S. tennis that so many girls are in the top 100 and so many that are close,” said Mattek-Sands, who will face Keys in her opening match Friday. “It’s going to be tough competition.”
A win would allow Mattek-Sands to play another tournament prior to the Australian Open and to spend extra time in one of her favorite countries.
“I absolutely love Australia,” she said. “The shopping, the fans — it’s one of my husband’s and my favorite places to go.”
Since playing through qualifiers and reaching the quarterfinals at the Generali Ladies Linz tournament near the end of her 2012 campaign, Mattek-Sands has been gearing for a comeback in the rankings.
“It was awesome for me to win that many matches in a row,” she said of her showing in Austria. “I really felt that I ended my year strong.”
That positive vibes carried into the offseason where she spent most of her time relaxing at home in Phoenix and focusing on staying healthy.
“I toned down the fitness and focused more on being on the tennis court,” Mattek-Sands said. “I figured out what works for me and what doesn’t.”
She added that the time at home has allowed her to pick up a few new hobbies.
“I haven’t done too much. I took up crochet and taught myself how to knit,” she said with a laugh.
Mattek-Sands, who is less than a year removed from injuries that kept her away from the court, appears to be in good spirits and ready to win the first tournament of the new season.
“I know I’m confident in my game. I just feel like I’m not finished,” when asked what motivates her to continue after several injuries. “There are so many goals I haven’t reached, and I’m feeling the best I’ve had in a long time. I want the wild card.”
The men’s field: Eight men also will be competing for a wild card entry. They are — Bradley Klahn, Rhyne Williams, Denis Kudla, Tennys Sandgren, Daniel Kosakowski, Christian Harrison, Chase Buchanan and Tim Smyczek. Buchanan and Smyczek replace Jack Sock and Steve Johnson, who withdrew.
