Sloane Stephens Reinjures Ab – Out Of Fed Cup

Written by: on 4th February 2013
Tennis Australian Open 2013
Sloane Stephens Reinjures Ab - Out Of Fed Cup

epa03552924 Sloane Stephens of the US hits a backhand during her semi final match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 24 January 2013. EPA/Barbara Walton  |

It looks like Sloane Stephens has yet to solve her abdominal injury puzzle as the promising American teen has pulled out of Fed Cup with an ab strain.

Melanie Oudin will replace Stephens on the US team for its first round tie in Rimini, Italy, February 9-10.

Stephens, who just reached the Australian Open semifinals and is currently ranked No. 17, has been troubled with abdomen injuries for a couple of years. The 19 year old, who is coached by USTA Player Development’s David Nainkin, missed the entire fall season after losing to Ana Ivanovic at the US Open. She said that during the tournament she tore an abdominal muscle that kept her off the court for seven weeks.

“I was kind of just downplaying it like it’s no big deal or whatever, but the day before I played Ivanovic, maybe the day before that, it started bleeding, the muscle started bleeding, so it was getting swollen,” she said. “ I looked like a fat girl on the court because my stomach was bulging out and it looked terrible. I just kind of was trying to forget about it, but it didn’t work because I couldn’t serve, I couldn’t do anything.”

Oudin will join fellow Fed Cup rookies Varvara Lepchenko and Jamie Hampton as well as doubles stalwart Liezel Huber on captain Mary Joe Fernandez’s team. Lepchenko and Hampton are expected to play singles against the clay court-loving duo of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.

Stephens is the third US player to pull out of the tie as Venus and Serena Williams also backed out due to injuries. Christina McHale, who is higher ranked than Oudin, doesn’t feel like she is physically strong enough yet to compete at her top level as she developed mono last summer and just got over it in the late fall.

“I’m terribly disappointed that I won’t be able to play for my country in Italy,” Stephens said. “I played a lot more matches than I expected in four straight weeks in Australia and need to be careful not to let this ab injury sideline me for a long time.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

Как Сменить Почту Комета Казино? thumbnail

Как Сменить Почту Комета Казино?

Как изменить электронную почту в Комета
No Key Biscayne, No Problem; New Site, Same Great Miami Open Tennis Event thumbnail

No Key Biscayne, No Problem; New Site, Same Great Miami Open Tennis Event

It was the end of an era at Crandon Park for the Miami Open last year. From the Lipton, to the Nasdaq 100, to the Sony Ericsson, to the Sony, to the Miami Open presented by Itau, Key Biscayne saw it all.
10SBALLS SHARES FAVORITE EPA TENNIS PHOTOS Of 2018 thumbnail

10SBALLS SHARES FAVORITE EPA TENNIS PHOTOS Of 2018

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action during his men's singles final match against Marin Cilic of Croatia at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 28 January 2018.
THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR ANY TENNIS PLAYER & FAN thumbnail

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR ANY TENNIS PLAYER & FAN

Are lefties more successful than right-handed players? Which player admits to smashing 70 rackets a year during his career? All these questions, and so many more, are answered in entertaining infographics in the new book YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!
ATP MEN’S TENNIS • WILL IT MOVE FROM LONDON TO MANCHESTER OR TOKYO OR SINGAPORE? OR TURIN? thumbnail

ATP MEN’S TENNIS • WILL IT MOVE FROM LONDON TO MANCHESTER OR TOKYO OR SINGAPORE? OR TURIN?

The ATP announced a group of potential host sites for the Nitto ATP Finals starting in 2021, and it includes London, Manchester, Singapore, Tokyo, and Turin.