With the calendar edging towards a 12 months since Ana Konjuh returned to the circuit, she is assured she will be able to put a minimum of one label to relaxation.
Konjuh, a US Open quarterfinalist as a young person who missed one of the best a part of three years with elbow issues, is trying forward with optimism after stringing collectively nearly 12 months of tournaments in succession.
“Clearly I’m happy with myself, of what I’ve performed,” she mentioned.
“I believe we will cease calling it a comeback at this level. I simply need to keep wholesome and put together for subsequent 12 months and we’ll see what we will do.”
The previous junior World No.1 is taking part in in Kazakhstan for the primary time this week and Tuesday was a powerful 7-6 (6) 6-1 winner over Urszula Radwanska within the opening spherical of the Astana Open in Nur-Sultan.
Konjuh, 23, who resumed in ITF tournaments final October after present process 4 surgical procedures on her elbow, has already achieved one main aim in the course of the 2021 season.
Throughout an incredible run on the 1000 Miami Open, the place she posted wins in opposition to Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek when reaching the final 16, Konjuh mentioned her goal was to return to the Prime 100 this 12 months.
That mission has been completed. Konjuh began the week in Nur-Sultan with a rating of 77.
Konjuh, who peaked at World No.20 in 2017, is hopeful of creating additional rankings inroads as she seems to be towards ending her season after taking part in at Indian Wells subsequent month.
“I began taking part in on the finish of final September in my first ITF, so it has been an extended season for me and particularly coming off an damage, I’ve performed a number of matches, a number of tournaments, having to play by way of qualies, issues like that,” she mentioned.
“The physique is sweet. The elbow is manageable, I might say. It’s by no means going to be regular once more, which I settle for. It’s only a matter of doing one of the best I can, taking it day-to-day, simply to arrange for every match.”
In March, Konjuh spoke of her delight at watching the success of junior friends together with Naomi Osaka, Jelena Ostapenko and Daria Kasatkina starring on the WTA Tour.
In early August, Belinda Bencic, who was an ideal assist to Konjuh as she rehabilitated her elbow damage, gained an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.
Konjuh mentioned their performances motivated her to proceed to work exhausting.
“We had an ideal technology and I believe a number of youthful ladies are coming as nicely,” Konjuh mentioned. “So I simply really feel previous at this level on the tour when they’re born in 2000, or one thing like that. I’m like, ‘How previous is that?’
“It’s nice to see so many champions, so many women breaking by way of and seeing that all of us have precisely the identical likelihood proper now.
