New York (AFP) – Amid myriad health troubles in 2016, Kevin Anderson found a new fan who was on hand to cheer the South African in a second-round victory at the US Open on Wednesday.
“My doctor who did my dental surgery actually flew up to watch me play and gave me some support,” said Anderson, who also had the vocal backing of his wife, his physio, his coach and a few friends from his days at the University of Illinois.
“I think he felt bad because he put me through the wringer.”
Buoyed in part by a quarter-final run at Flushing Meadows last year — beating Andy Murray on the way — Anderson was ranked a career high 10 in the world rankings last October.
But knee, shoulder and an ankle injury that required surgery saw him sidelined for 10 weeks. He retired from two matches and withdrew from eight events, and when he has played it’s sometimes been a struggle.
“Obviously some tough first rounds throughout the rest of the year,” said Anderson, who fell in the first round at Wimbledon despite holding a two-set lead and a match point against Denis Istomin.
Having followed up a straight-sets first-round win over Yoshihito Nishioka with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Canadian Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday, Anderson said things were looking up.
“It definitely feels great to be out here able to compete at 100 percent with my body also feeling good and allowing me to do that,” he said.
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