Anett Kontaveit returns to training for first time after devastating back injury diagnosis

Anett Kontaveit has finally hit the tennis courts to resume practice in the hope of turning around what has been a disastrous start to her season, courtesy of a severe back injury.

The Estonian, who achieved her career-best singles ranking of No. 2 less than a year ago, today finds herself placed in the 69th position. At the 2022 US Open, she became Serena Williams' last victim in the latter's 27-year-long glorious career when the two players clashed in the second round. The American legend played her last match against Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round.

A month later, Kontaveit lost to Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the Tallinn Open. This was followed by a series of early exits at the Ostrava Open, Adelaide International 1, Adelaide International 2, the 2023 Australian Open, and the Abu Dhabi Open. She has been dealing with a back injury for a few months now.

Last month, Kontaveit revealed that she was likely to never completely recover from her back injury, after which she withdrew from the 2023 BNP Paribas Open and the Miami Open. However, the 27-year-old had also stated that she could continue playing professional tennis by being careful about the problem.

The Estonian star recently took to social media to share a video in which she can be seen hitting powerful groundstrokes at the Puente Romano Tennis Club in Spain's Marbella. She also posted a photograph alongside musician and songwriter Hendrik Sal-Saller as the two could be seen posing with padel rackets in their hands.

"Training camp in Marbella at the @puenteromanotennisclub done. Thank you for having me and my team, we loved it! Of course, being in Spain also calls for some padel practice," Kontaveit wrote on Instagram.

Kontaveit is part of Team Estonia for the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup and will play in Oeiras, Portugal, from April 10-15.

---

Anett Kontaveit's statement on the state of her injury last month

Anett Kontaveit during the 2023 Abu Dhabi Open

Speaking to ERR Sport in March, Anett Kontaveit went into detail about her back injury, saying that in all probability, she would never get rid of it. However, the former World No. 2 remarked that careful treatment would allow her to keep playing at the highest level.

"My injury specifically involves degenerative changes to the lumbar discs of the spine and irritation of the left thigh tendons due to previous trauma," Anett Kontaveit said. "I'm treating it with special exercises and physiotherapy, with the help of physiotherapists Toms Zvonkovs and Lauri Ott."

"It's something I probably won't be able to get rid of. But it can, hopefully, be controlled well enough for me to continue playing without pain," she added.

In the 2023 season, Kontaveit has won only two matches so far, while losing four. Her last match came against Shelby Rogers at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Open on February 8.