Former world number two Vera Zvonareva remained upbeat despite losing her first round match at the BNP Paribas Open 2014 Indian Wells on Wednesday to China’s Peng Shuai. The Russian is making a comeback on the WTA tour after missing more than a year of competition due to injury.
“It was a tough match,” Zvonareva said after the 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 defeat. “I took a little risk in the last game because I had to and unfortunately it didn’t work out for me. I made a couple of mistakes and I think that helped her to break me in the last game. I think my game is better than it was in Australia, so I can’t complain too much.”
This is Zvonareva’s third tournament since her comeback last January. She lost her opening round match to Casey Dellacqua at the Australian Open but reached the second round at the Pattaya Open last month.
The 2009 Indian Wells champion had surgery on her right shoulder and had to take a break from tennis in order to rest. She took college degrees in international economic relations and physical education during the break.
The Russian said that she still loves to compete and will keep on competing as long as she can still do it.
“I have to keep working,” said Zvonareva. “Any matches that I can get is great for me, either in singles or doubles or whatever. Playing out there against the top players in the world is how you’re going to get your game back. You can practice as much as you want, but playing is different. I just need to get matches.”
Zvonareva has won 12 singles and six doubles titles so far and reached the world number two ranking in 2010, the year when she reached two Grand Slam singles finals in Wimbledon and US Open.
