Jansen overcomes ankle injury to make semis
PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA - After one of the grittiest performances of the year so far, Lea Jansen is into the women’s singles semifinals in Atlanta.
She took down No. 5 seed Judit Castillo 11-7, 12-10, but the match was far more complicated than the score line indicates.
Early on in Game 2, Jansen slipped while running down a ball on the baseline and injured her right ankle.
The No. 4 seed had her ankle wrapped and taped shortly after during a medical timeout.
It looked a third game was imminent when Castillo gained a 10-7 advantage in that game, but Jansen fought through the injury and saved two game points to come all the way back and secure the victory in two games.
“I was just trying to play without a score,” Jansen said of the effort. “I kind of went on that run, and I think that got in Judit’s head a little bit. She was starting to try and move me more, and that gave me some softer shots and room to breathe.”
Jansen has a women’s doubles match later on Friday, and all efforts between now and then will go towards minimizing the pain in her ankle.
“It’s pretty swollen right now and kind of stiff, so I’m just gonna hop on the bike and keep it mobile,” she shared.
In Saturday’s semifinals, Jansen will face No. 1 seed Anna Leigh Waters.
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