Tennis: Janko Tipsarevic wins on return from surgery

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April 8th, 2015
Back Tennis: Janko Tipsarevic wins on return from surgery

Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic made his return to the ATP Tour following an injury to his left foot that almost prematurely put an end to his career. The 30-year-old player has not played on tour for 17 months after undergoing surgery twice to remove a benign tumour. The operations took away 80% of his sole. On his return Tipsarevic rescued two match points before beating Brazil's Guilherme Clezar in the US Clay Court Championship first round in Houston.

"I felt like this was a match I needed to win," Tipsarevic said. "I was ready, and I was fit. I had no confidence coming in, but saving match points with forehand winners down the line maybe proved otherwise. I really felt I had to win this match, and I would have been really sad otherwise." Tipsarevic won the match after two hours and 38 minutes, 6-4 3-6 7-6 (9-7).

"I'm in pain everywhere, but the foot is good," he added. "I can tell you that we take the muscles in our feet completely for granted." Tipsarevic knows that a third operation on his injured foot will inevitably lead to retirement. "My life would not be in danger," he said. "But I could not play tennis again. Basically the second surgery took away about 80 percent of my sole. That's why it took so long to return."

Tipsarevic is 28/1 at Bet365 to win the Houston tournament while Fernando Verdasco is the favourite at 7/2.

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