(Translation from http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20051102/NOTICIA205388751.html (02/11/2005))

Magüi Serna leaves the tunnel of injuries

The Canarian trains again after six months due to a tendinitis in the left shoulder

Efe / LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA

Magüi Serna was considered the successor of Arantxa Sánchez and Conchita Martínez when she finished her junior preparations with the final in Wimbledon. She didn't go that far, but with 26 years, she has three professional titles and championships of the Fed Cup. Quarterfinalist in Wimbledon 2000, she reached her best ranking of 19 in the WTA, in January of last year, a little bit before her tourment with the injuries started. She has been out of action for six months.

Her last tournament was in April this season, when the pain in her left shoulder, which had been bothering her for many months, was unbearable.

"The tendinitis that I had in the shoulder didn't let me serve, and although I played infiltrated, the pain was very severe. Then they told me that the solution was the surgery or rest and rehabilitation, and I chose the last option. After a six  month layoff I have trained again with lots of excitement", Magüi said.

Serna has come back to the courts in the club El Cortijo Club de Campo, her coach is the Canarian Fernando García Lleó and the physical coach is Juan José Falcón, who also works with the basketball team of Gran Canaria.

"I have been training for two weeks, the shoulder is going well, and if there are no problems, I'll make a start in January for the new season, but I'm sure that for the first time in 10 years I won't be playing in the Australian Open"

She wants to compete in January

The Canarian explained that the WTA will respect the ranking that she had before the injury (101) in around ten tournaments, and that her comeback to the competition will be progressive in difficulty. "The idea is to come back in January and to start getting the fitness and rhythm of competition with tournaments of 75,000 and 100,000 dollars, and to try to play later the more demanding tournaments", she says.

"I am excited, looking forward to coming back, and without the pain that didn't let me do my best. This time I have decided not to come back too early and I am sure that I can still get good things in the professional tennis", said Magüi Serna, who is currently the number 381 in the WTA ranking. In 1994, with 15 years, she was the number 342.