2013 Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki speaks to WTA Insider after being diagnosed with mononucleosis and promises the illness will not dent her comeback resolve.     

Sabine Lisicki's comeback from injury has been stalled after being diagnosed with mononucleosis. The former World No.12 and 2013 Wimbledon finalist told WTA Insider she has felt the symptoms of fatigue for the months, but continued to play through the clay and grass season before finally learning of her diagnosis.

"I played matches, I was playing tournaments, but I didn't know what was going on," Lisicki told WTA Insider. "I just felt like I was weak and I didn't know why because I did put in the practice, but everything was so hard.

"I felt that something isn't right because my mind is there but my body wasn't following it."

"I was shocked when [the doctors] told me because I didn't expect that. You always hear about it and a lot of athletes have it, especially in the young ages, but I never thought I would get it one day too.

"I guess I should be happy that they finally found out what's going on, because I haven't been feeling well for quite a while. So they kept digging and finally found out what's happening and why I'm feeling weak.

"It makes me really sad because I want to play. There's nothing I want more than to be out on the court and playing, but obviously when I'm healthy and I have energy and not running on a low tank."

The diagnosis is a frustrating set-back for the big-serving German, who says she was finally injury and pain-free. Lisicki underwent knee surgery in November 2017 and then sustained a foot injury in March 2018. Still highly-motivated to play herself back into the Top 100, Lisicki finished the 2018 season by making the final of the WTA 125K event in Taipei.

Tournament success may have been a struggle for Lisicki in 2019 - she lost her first nine matches of the season - but until her diagnosis, the biggest win had been her health.

"That's why I was so happy," Lisicki said. "Nothing was hurting, my body was fine.

"At the beginning [when I started to feel symptoms], I thought maybe I'm not fit enough yet, because if you feel weak in a match that's the first thing you're thinking. I'm not the person who says oh, I'm sick, let's take the time off. I think ok, what can I do better.

"We spoke to my team. It hasn't been easy because then you try and push yourself mentally. The mental part was right there. I wanted it. But the body wasn't there.

"Well, the body was, but the tank was not."
"I still feel the fire and desire to play and compete. That's the way I approach it. As long as I feel that, that gives you the patience that you need."

Now 30-years-old, Lisicki, who holds the WTA record for the fastest serve at 131mph (2014 Stanford), still has her sights on returning to the tour. But setting a timeline may prove difficult.

"That's the tricky part of mono, that you don't know how long it takes," Lisicki said. "The better you rest the quicker it goes away. That's what I'm trying to do, which is very hard for me because I'm not the type of person to just sit and relax and just watch the US Open."

"I still feel the fire and desire to play and compete. That's the way I approach it. As long as I feel that, that gives you the patience that you need.

"But I definitely can't wait to be back on the court again. That's what I'm thinking about. There's nothing more that I want more."

2013 Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki speaks to WTA Insider after being diagnosed with mononucleosis and promises the illness will not dent her comeback resolve.  

Sabine Lisicki has been cleared to resume training after being diagnosed with mononucleosis over the summer. The former World No.12 and 2013 Wimbledon finalist told WTA Insider she had felt the symptoms of fatigue since early in the year and they got worse in April at the Claro Open Colsanitas, but continued to play through the clay and grass season before doctors were finally able to isolate the diagnosis to mononucleosis.

"I played matches, I was playing tournaments, but I didn't know what was going on," Lisicki told WTA Insider during the US Open in August. "I just felt like I was weak and I didn't know why because I did put in the practice, but everything was so hard.

"I felt that something isn't right because my mind is there but my body wasn't following it."

"I was shocked when [the doctors] told me because I didn't expect that. You always hear about it and a lot of athletes have it, especially in the young ages, but I never thought I would get it one day too.

"I guess I should be happy that they finally found out what's going on, because I haven't been feeling well for quite a while. So they kept digging and finally found out what's happening and why I'm feeling weak.

The diagnosis was a frustrating setback for the big-serving German, who still holds the WTA record for the fastest recorded serve, 131mph, which she hit at 2014 Stanford. Lisicki underwent knee surgery in November 2017 and then sustained a foot injury in March 2018. Still highly-motivated to play herself back into the Top 100, Lisicki finished the 2018 season by making the final of the WTA 125K event in Taipei. She was finally injury and pain-free when she began to feel symptoms.

"At the beginning [when I started to feel symptoms], I thought maybe I'm not fit enough yet, because if you feel weak in a match that's the first thing you're thinking. I'm not the person who says oh, I'm sick, let's take the time off. I think ok, what can I do better.

"We spoke to my team. It hasn't been easy because then you try and push yourself mentally. The mental part was right there. I wanted it. But the body wasn't there.

This week, Lisicki received word from her doctors that the mono has cleared her system and she can slowly begin her recovery and build-up to get back in competition, and she says she will return when she is 100% fit and ready to compete.

"I still feel the fire and desire to play and compete. That's the way I approach it. As long as I feel that, that gives you the patience that you need.

"But I definitely can't wait to be back on the court again. That's what I'm thinking about. There's nothing that I want more. Playing in front of my family, friends, and fans and fight for each point. I’m very thankful for their support in this difficult time."