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When Sabine Lisicki announced her pregnancy and later welcomed her first child in September 2024, she made it clear that her tennis career was not over. The German star intended to continue playing as a mother. However, life rarely goes according to plan, and Lisicki soon realized that motherhood would prove more challenging than expected, postponing her anticipated comeback.
Everyone’s story is different. Some mothers return to tennis competition in just a few months. One of the most extreme examples is Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella, who famously played Wimbledon while four and a half months pregnant, then competed again just over three months after giving birth. Others, like Tatjana Maria, reached new heights as mothers—Maria advanced to her first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon 2022, just 15 months after giving birth to her second child. Kim Clijsters is another shining example, winning three of her four Grand Slam titles after becoming a mom. Moreover, players like Elina Svitolina, Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams, and Naomi Osaka have all shown that motherhood and elite sport can go hand in hand.
Inspired by these stories, Lisicki initially assumed her own return would be straightforward. But, as she has learned, the journey can be unpredictable. The 35-year-old, who gave birth to her daughter Bella, has now shared a emotional update, admitting that her comeback will take longer than she once imagined.
In an honest Instagram post accompanied by a photo carousel, Lisicki opened up about her struggles:
I am a mom and I would have never thought that I wouldn’t be back competing at 9-12 months postpartum. You might ask why? Because I saw so many moms getting back in shape in no time and doing it all. While breastfeeding day and night for a year with nights of 4-5 hours of sleep being my new normal, I still tried to train. But my body needed more time. Time to heal from creating a miracle and bringing it into this world. And that’s ok. And totally normal too.
She also sent an encouraging message to fellow mothers:
To all moms out there who need more time after giving birth, you are not alone! We created a miracle and are beyond blessed. It’s ok to need more time to let our bodies heal.
Lisicki’s career has long been defined by resilience. In November 2020, she tore her anterior cruciate ligament at the Upper Austria Ladies Open, describing it as having “broke everything in [her] knee that can be broken.” After surgery and months of grueling rehab, she returned in May 2022, competing in smaller clay-court events.
Her persistence paid off. In June 2022, Lisicki won her first main-draw match on the Hologic WTA Tour since 2018 as a wildcard at the Bad Homburg Open. She capped her comeback in November 2023 with her first title in nine years, triumphing at the Calgary Challenger (ITF W60). Her most recent appearance on tour came in December 2023 at an ITF event in Dubai.
Now, with Bella by her side, Lisicki is taking her time, reminding herself, and others, that it’s okay for the path back to tennis to look different than expected.
