2021 Australian Open final against Naomi Osaka was Jennifer Brady's last pain-free match, the American divulges

After spending 698 days on the sidelines, Jennifer Brady made her long-awaited comeback at an ITF W100 event in Granby, Canada last week. She made a winning return to action, defeating Kyoka Okamura 6-2, 6-3 in the opening match.

It hasn't been a smooth and fairytale return, however, as Brady lost her next match 6-4, 7-6(2) to Himeno Sakatsume. The American is now set to compete in the US Open series, starting with the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.

Brady felt a pop in her left heel as she chased down a ball in her second-round match against Jelena Ostapenko at the 2021 Cincinnati Open. She retired from the match with what turned out to be a torn plantar fascia. A stress fracture in her right knee later complicated her rehabilitation and she spent almost two years trying to be fit enough to return to competitive action.

Now that she is back on the WTA Tour, Brady is relieved to be able to hold the tennis racket once again and compete with the best players.

"I'm just so happy to be back playing and competing. I wish I could have gotten more matches in before with the big dogs again, but this will only help me just test my level and see where I'm at and then I can learn and improve and get back to the practice court and work on some things and then try to get ready for the next tournament. But, no matter what, this is what I want to be doing, otherwise I would've given up a while ago," she told ESPN.

Former World No. 13 Brady was playing at her best in 2020 and 2021. She won her first WTA title at Lexington in August 2020. Later she reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open, where she lost to Naomi Osaka.

A few months later in February, she went a step further at the Majors when she reached the Australian Open final, where Osaka once again stopped her run. Recalling that match, Brady revealed that it was the last time she was "pain-free" on the court.

"I felt like I was starting to find my game and was so close to cracking the top 10, to do something big. Then that's when the s--- hit the fan, I guess you could say ... I guess, honestly, the last pain-free match that I'd played was in Australia," she stated.

---

Jennifer Brady features in the 2023 US Open main draw using Protected Ranking

Jennifer Brady at the 2021 French Open.

Having made a successful comeback to the WTA Tour, Jennifer Brady is gearing up to take part in the US Open this year. Despite being ranked No. 1055 in the world, Brady has used a Protected Ranking of World No. 14 to enter the main draw directly.

The Protected Ranking system is used in ATP and WTA to allow players to compete in events after an injury break. It can be used by players who spend a minimum of six months on the sidelines. If someone is out of action for more than 12 months, the Protected Ranking will apply for the first 12 months or the first 12 tournaments on his/her comeback, whichever comes first.

The 2023 US Open gets underway at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York on August 28, and concludes with the men's singles final on September 10.