Former world No.7 Belinda Bencic has admitted that she is unsure about when she will be able to return to the tour after suffering her latest injury setback.
The 21-year-old has recently been forced to withdraw from tournaments in Miami and Lugano due to a foot injury. So far this season, Bencic has only managed to win two out of seven matches played on the tour. A stark contrast to the end of 2017 when she claimed back-to-back WTA 125 titles before winning an ITF $100,000 event in Dubai.
“It’s the third toe on the foot. It is not a stress fracture, as many have written. It is not broken, but strongly inflamed. There is fluid around the bone and it is very painful.” Bencic said about her latest injury in an interview with Aargauer Zeitung earlier this week.
“I guess I have to take a break for four to six weeks. It depends on how severe the pain is. Anyway, I have cancelled my next tournaments. When I will come back, I do not know yet.”
Should she be sidelined for another six weeks, it is touch and go if she will be able to compete in either of the Premier events in Madrid and Rome. The later of the two, Rome, gets underway in five-and-a-half weeks time.
Despite her injury, Bencic is continuing to train in Slovakia. Although her current routine avoids anything that involves placing too much pressure onto her right foot.
“I am currently going to the gym and doing what’s possible. I can not walk, but I can go cycling, do aquajogging and go for massage and physio.” She explained.
The rehab process is an all too familiar situation for the Swiss world No.71. Despite her young age, she has been dodge by physical problems. A back injury sidelined her from the tour for two months in 2016. Then last year she suffered a wrist injury that required surgery. Forcing her to take a five-month break.
“I think: ‘Oh no, not again.’ It is then rather difficult for me to understand, why it hits me again.“She explained about her injury problems. “ That’s extremely frustrating. But there are also good sides: Over Easter, I was with my family in Schwyz and have finally seen my brother Brian and my grandparents after a long time.”
Bencic is hoping to be fit in time to play at the French Open for the first time since 2015. The grand slam wil start on May 27th.
