By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, October 18, 2024
Photograph credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty
New balls please was as soon as an ATP slogan.
Not too long ago, it was a really scary risk for Andrey Rublev.
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Talking to the media on the Stockholm Open, Rublev shared the well being scare he suffered within the aftermath of a bodily five-set US Open loss to Grigor Dimitrov final month.
In each male athlete’s worst nightmare, Rublev suffered testicle trauma.
Or as Rublev bluntly put it: “I virtually misplaced my ball.”
The reigning Madrid champion felt ache in his testicle following that five-set US Open loss.
Thankfully, Rublev went to the hospital for therapy the place he confronted a terrifying prospect: Testicular amputation.
“Now I really feel excellent, all the pieces went properly,” Rublev informed the media in Stockholm. “I do not know the way to name it in a wise manner however I can name it in a humorous manner.
“I virtually misplaced my ball. I used to be tremendous fortunate as a result of they are saying you’ve solely 5 – 6 hours if the blood stops going there after which it is amputation. I used to be fortunate. I do not know why I stated, ‘let’s go to hospital simply to examine why I really feel a bizarre feeling’.
“They checked immediately they usually took me as an emergency to do the surgical procedure after which they had been in a position to do the surgical procedure in three or 4 hours after the primary feeling I felt. In order that they had been in a position to do all the pieces good and in the long run all the pieces is nice.”
World No. 7 Rublev now has the bounce again in his step, however shared it was practically a complete new ball recreation.
The final reminiscence Rublev had earlier than anesthesia kicked in was signing a launch type allowing docs to carry out a testicle amputation if obligatory. That terrifying actuality would possibly scare some stiff, however Rublev trusted the method and the medical group and stated he feels wholesome now.
“The very last thing earlier than they made me sleep, I signed the paper saying they had been allowed to amputate my ball,” Rublev recalled. “That was the very last thing earlier than the surgical procedure that I noticed.”
Thirty-nine year-old Stan Wawrinka bounced the top-seeded Rublev out of the Stockholm Open at present, 7-6, 7-6, to develop into the oldest semifinal in match historical past.
Nonetheless, Rublev is relieved to be again on court docket with physique and thoughts intact.