Molik set for full-scale tennis comeback

Alicia Molik, the former darling of Australian tennis, is making a full-scale
comeback after exactly a year out of the game.
The former world No.8 will make her return at next week's WTA tournament in New
Haven and has also requested a wildcard for the US Open starting in New York on
August 31.
While Molik will only play doubles in the US, partnering American Meghann
Shaughnessy, the 28-year-old's comeback plans also include singles and she has
pencilled in a low-level ITF tournament in Darwin next month for a possible return.
"It's fantastic news," Molik's agent Alice Estcourt from Octagon told AAP on Friday.
Molik last played competitively at the Beijing Olympics, losing in the first round
in both singles and doubles, with Casey Dellacqua, but has been practising for
several months while contemplating a professional comeback.
Now based in Perth, Molik's career peaked during a memorable six months in 2004-05
when she won four of her five WTA titles, collected an Olympic bronze medal in
Athens and became the first Australian woman in two decades to reach the Australian
Open quarter-finals and crack the world's top 10.
Sadly, a debilitating middle-ear condition struck, which affected her vision and
balance, struck Molik down at the height of her powers in April 2005, forcing her
off the circuit for the best part of 12 months, before an elbow injury led to her
retirement earlier this year.
But, injury-free and back to full health, Molik is now itching to play again.
"She's feeling healthy and fit and just really enjoying being out on the court and
playing again without being injured," Estcourt said.
In addition to her five WTA titles, Molik boasts two grand slam doubles trophies,
having won the 2005 Australian Open with Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and the 2007
French Open with Italian Mara Santangelo.
Coming on the back of Sam Stosur's sizzling season and the resurgence of Lleyton
Hewitt and Chris Guccione, Molik's impending comeback is another huge boost for
Australian tennis ahead of the year's final grand slam at Flushing Meadows.
"It's terrific to see Alicia on the comeback trail and we wish her well," Tennis
Australia boss Craig Tiley said.