AFP, New York :
Estonia’s world number 418 Kaia Kanepi, who was once pushed to the brink of retirement by illness and crippling pain in both feet, reached the US Open quarter-finals Monday and declared: “I’m amazed I’m this good.”
The 32-year-old became only the second qualifier to reach the last eight in New York when she defeated Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-4.
But this time last year, she was at home in Tallinn wondering if she would or even wanted to play tennis again despite having made five Grand Slam quarter-finals.
“I’m amazed that I’m this good,” she said.
Her shock is well-founded.
In 2016, she appeared in just one WTA event in Rabat, losing in the first round before a battle with the effects of Epstein-Barr virus and then plantar fasciitis in both feet forced her off tour. But after passing her time by walking her dog Bossu, taking a vacation in Hawaii and racing cars on Finland’s treacherous ice roads, she decided to try tennis once more.
“In June last year, I didn’t care if I didn’t play tennis again,” said Kanepi.
“I just tried to live a normal life and enjoy it and slowly figuring out. But it’s very important to do what you love.
