It was supposed to be a true test of Ana's form after a resurgent week made her a topic of conversation and marginally relevant again. Instead, her body gave out four games into the match.
After stepping in to try an put away a short forehand down the line, Ana hit the shot, immediately dropped her racquet, and bent over a suddenly gimpy left foot.
She walked to the back of the court to try and compose herself but finally called the trainer in tears.
The injury looks to be on the inside of her left foot, around the bone, muscle, and tissue that make up her arch/instep. She stepped back on the court to try and continue (cracking a forehand return winner in her first shot), but was clearly hobbling.
She retired in tears after the next point, giving Kim a kiss at the net and saying "I'm sorry." After the match, Kim said Ana told her she heard "a crack". That could mean a whole lot of things but she didn't do press after the match, instead going immediately to the hospital.
Sigh. You have to feel the kid. She tries so hard, works so hard, all with a smile on her face as she's had to answer for over a year now a barrage of questions as to why she sucks so hard. Then she has a week where everything clicks and her body gives out on her. Had she won the title here she would have potentially been seeded for the USO. Even if she lost today, a mediocre showing at New Haven would have probably earned her a seeded spot, too. But no. The tennis gods simply would not allow it. It's almost Job-like. And I mean the biblical Job, not the awesome GOB.
Her website says it'll be a race to get ready for New Haven. Screw New Haven. Just get healthy, kid. No race needed.
(Pics: Daylife)
