Dinara Safina: I don’t want to torture myself any more

Russian tennis player Dinara Safina has commented on the reports alleging she may quit her career. The former world’s No. 1 has confirmed that she will not take part in this summer’s Roland Garros and intends to take a break from playing.

«I do not know how long my time out will last. I just do not want to torture myself and my body any more. At the start of the season I did not have any pains or any other problems. But as soon as I started playing on a regular basis it all came back. One day it seems like you’re starting to play better, and the next day you just can’t turn around. I’m sick of hearing my coach ask me the same questions every five minutes during training: «How does your back feel? Can you do this exercise?» I feel myself constrained on court, being afraid to make any quick movement. I’m sick and tired of this struggle. I’d like to forget those pains the sooner the better,» stated Safina in an interview with Sport-Express.

«From now on I won’t do anything related to tennis. When I regain the ability to bend over and make quick movements to the sides without thinking about pain, it will be the first sign that I can get back to training. I don’t care when it happens: this summer in a series of American tournaments, at the end of a season, or next year. I want to take as much time for recovery as it’s required to stop thinking about my back until the end of my career.»