One of Europe’s greatest players, Carolina Marin, today announced that she is ready to launch her comeback at the 2022 European Championships in Madrid, 25-30 April.
-The last few months have been intense. We had to face some setbacks and that is why my reappearance on the circuit has been delayed. When I heard that the 2022 European Championships were going to take place in Madrid, I was really excited and also motivated, explained a smiling Carolina Marin.
This news is music to the ears of her fans. The last time Marin came back from a long injury was in 2019. Taking a tournament to settle herself, she then went on to win the China Open in style, to the amazement of onlookers. Will we see the same miraculous return from the Spaniard? Marin is confident she can do it again.
-I am really happy. I feel the warmth from the public, and as I said before, I feel like a badminton player again. I have the strength to compete. There is only one month left to be on court and to wear one of my dresses.
-I consider myself a resilient athlete, but I am still learning to have patience with myself. Each day that I go on court and grab a racket, it is to keep on improving, little by little.
Missing Marin
There was much talk about Viktor Axelsen’s spectacular 2021, which unsurprisingly led to clear Player of the Year nominations. However, lest we forget, Marin matched Axelsen every step of the way in the early part of the year. Two Thailand Open wins with a runner-up finish at the carried over 2020 World Tour Finals, a Swiss Open title with a dominant win in the final over Pusarla V. Sindhu and then the impressive fifth European Championship gold in Kyiv.
All roads led to the reigning Olympic Champion defending her crown in Tokyo. However, in June she had torn the ACL and both meniscus on her left knee, shattering her Olympic dream.
-I felt hopeless, but I changed my mindset after three days. I told myself that it had happened for a reason. I had some difficulties in the last two years, and then I had the injury some months before the Olympic Games. I thought, this Olympic Games will not be the one for me, but there are only three years left to the next one. Thinking like this motivated me to recover.
Returning in Spain
There was hope that she would return for the World Championships in her home city of Huelva at the end of the year, but it was too soon.
Today, with one month to go to the 2022 European Championships in Madrid, Marin confirmed that she will make her much-awaited return and will fight for a record-breaking sixth singles title. With this return taking place on home soil, the masses of fans will be there to catch this moment.
-Fans can expect to enjoy my performance on court, and I hope that we can all enjoy it together. I want to enjoy the warmth of the stands, to feel inspired and motivated every day that I will be playing.
One month to go
With just four weeks of preparation left, Marin plans to use every last opportunity to get as ready as she can.
-From Monday, I will be starting a camp of three weeks at Sierra Nevada (a mountain range in Southern Spain), training at a high altitude and with intensity. This is the last part of my preparation to be in the best condition for #EC22.