Story highlights
Anna Chakvetadze returns to WTA action in Hobart in January
Former World No.5 collapsed on court while playing Caroline Wozniacki in Dubai
Chakvetadze made unsuccessful bid to win election to Russia's Duma
Alex Corretja named captain of Spain's Davis Cup team
Former World No.5 Anna Chakvetadze is making her latest comeback after a 2011 marred by illness and capped with an unsuccessful bid to win election to Russia’s Duma.
Chakvetadze’s problems began when she dramatically collapsed on court while leading World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki in a second round match in Dubai.
“When I got sick in Dubai I was in very good shape,” Chakvetadze told the official WTA website.
“I was finally enjoying the way I was playing. I was feeling the ball great. I had found my game again and was really ready to compete. But then I got sick.”
She was to play only three main draw matches in the remainder of the year, slipping to 234 in the rankings, before the illness was diagnosed as an inflammation of the inner year which caused dizziness and effected her balance.
“I’m 100 per cent healthy now. It doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m completely over it.”
Former World No.1 Safin elected to Russian federal parliament
While away from tennis, the 24-year-old dabbled in politics, standing for the Right Cause Party in December’s elections.
But with her party polling less than one per cent in the election, for now Chakvetadze’s political ambitions are on hold.
“I met some new people and really enjoyed myself. It was great to try myself in a different world.
“While I will do something if my party asks me to, right now my priority is sport. I spend my days on the tennis court. Tennis comes first for me,” she said.
Chakvetadze will head to Hobart in Tasmania for the first tournament of 2012 ahead of a tilt at the Australian Open later in January.
She reached her career-high ranking in 2007 when she won four tournaments and made the semifinals of the U.S. Open.
But in December of that year she suffered a horrifying ordeal when her home was burgled and the intervening years have been marked by a series of injuries and loss of form.
In other tennis news Tuesday, Alex Corretja, former coach of British star Andy Murray, has been named captain of Spain’s Davis Cup team.
Corretja replaces Albert Costa, who quit earlier this month after leading Spain to triumph in the 2011 final against Argentina.
The 37-year-old Corretja will have to take charge of their title defense without Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, who have decided not to take part in the 2012 Davis Cup.
