ITF

10 Spring 2021 ITF World Six months ago, Argentina's Nadia Podoroska was the surprise package at Roland Garros and rocketed into the centre of the tennis universe after blazing a trail all the way to the semi-finals. She arrived in Paris relatively unknown but departed as an international superstar, becoming the first female in the Open Era to navigate qualifying before reaching the last four in the French capital. Eventual champion Iga Swiatek of Poland ended her dreams of a sensational title bid, although the 24-year-old remains the only Argentinian woman since Paola Suarez in 2004 to contest a Grand Slam semi-final. It seems unthinkable now but starring on one of the game's biggest stages was a far cry from a couple of years earlier when her career and all that she had worked for was in jeopardy. In May 2018, Podoroska had slipped to No. 508 in the world rankings following an injury nightmare which saw her sidelined for eight months with a wrist problem, while a hip issue had already stifled her on-court progress. As Rosario-born Podoroska's ranking dropped and her earnings potential lessened, so did the ability to travel to tournaments, placing her very status as a professional in doubt. "It was a very tough time for me," Podoroska told ITFWorld. "When I was around 20 or 21 years old, I had too many injuries and I was off the court for six months with my hip and another eight months for my wrist and I couldn't get into the rhythm. "I played three or four tournaments and got injured and had to stop for two months and then start again. It was a time that I wasn't sure I would be able to keep playing. "When you have too many injuries in a row, you ask yourself, 'am I able to play?'. I didn't have money either. It is tough for South American girls to travel to Europe or the United States for tournaments. "I was lucky. I had a lot of people that supported me and gave me some money or coaches who let me train with them. If I didn't have these things, I couldn't have achieved anything. "At that time, I just tried to keep pushing myself to achieve my goals. I am the kind of 'I ALWAYS FELT I COULD ACHIEVE BIG THINGS' As she prepares for her homecoming and a competitive return to Argentina, Nadia Podoroska reflects on a whirlwind six months and how different her career outlook is now compared to a few years ago Podoroska enjoyed a sensa onal run to the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year BILLIE JEAN KING CUP

• Cover