Bethanie Mattek-Sands Against Caroline Wozniacki in Australian Match at Perth

Written by: Staff on 26th December 2011

Bethanie Mattek-Sands Against Caroline Wozniacki in Australian Match at Perth

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Bethanie Mattek-Sands will face the toughest possible tests as she puts a shoulder injury on the line as the Hopman Cup begins at the weekend. The tattooed American who is teaming with Mardy Fish in the eight-nation mixed team event has not played since losing in the US Open first round.

Her first match will be against world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki as the US face Denmark, followed by another battle with No. 2 and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic at the round-robin event.

Mattek-Sands has been under an intense rehab regime for four months. “I’m excited to start playing; it’s one thing to keep practicing but as much as I love tennis, I love competition,” she told her home newspaper, Arizona Republic.

She said that after injuring her right rotator cuff in the summer she would not have played had the match not been at the US Open. The player who has dropped from her career-best No. 30 after suffering the shoulder problem, now stands 55th and is making no promises about how she might perform in her return.

“It’s more important to focus on strategy, fitness and recovery,” Mattek-Sands said. “If I could get all of those together, I know I’ll win,” said the colorful player who managed to have an entire arm sleeve tattoo finished during her down time.

Topics: BETHANIE Mattek-Sands