TENNIS.com - Features - Working Mom: Davenport makes winning return

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By Bill Scott

Lindsay Davenport kisses baby Jagger after playing - and winning - the first singles tournament of her comeback. Davenport will play Beijing this week and hopes to make a full-time return to the tour next year.

© Achmad Ibrahim/AP

BALI—Maybe it's the baby.

That's about the only reason that Lindsay Davenport can name for her surprise title success at the Commonwealth Bank Classic, winning the final 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 over doubles partner Daniela Hantuchova in tropical Bali a year after retiring from - and returning to - tennis.

"It's crazy," said the 31-year-old former No. 1 California who dipped her toes back in as the mood struck just three months after the grueling Cesarean birth of baby son Jagger (nothing to do with Mick, by the way).

The well-travelled infant has already begun collecting visas as he accompanies his mom to Bali and Beijing. He's also not short for company, with Lindsay, her own mother, a nanny and a hitting partner making up Team Davenport on the road.

The only member missing: husband Jon, back home at work in the American financial world.

"Maybe the pregnancy gave me some magical powers, I don't know," ponders Davenport, who now owns 52 titles and looks all but certain to resume her career. "I'm a little bit in shock, it's just overwhelming and exciting. Playing my first tournament back I was unsure physically how I would respond.

"I swear this is probably the first tournament I've played in four years where I didn't have anything wrong with my lower extremities."

Davenport showed vintage form all week at this luxury holiday resort, putting out Serbian No. 3 Jelena Jankovic. Her unexpected exploits will see her ranking shoot up to No. 154 from the token No. 234 at which she made her comeback to the singles game.

If all goes well this week in Beijing, Davenport is pondering a return to the WTA from January, with Jagger, naturally, along for the ride.

Soundbites

"Lindsay was playing really well, and was returning unbelievably. I just couldn't do anything."
— Jelena Jankovic

"Lindsay won her first singles match back convincingly - but I'm not surprised. We practiced a few times already this week and she was hitting the ball really well. I was quite sure she was going to do well this week. Once a champion...

"We have a good relationship. I'd say she is one of my friends on the Tour."
— Daniela Hantuchova, Davenport's doubles partner in Bali, blogging for the WTA Tour last week.

"I think she'll enjoy the life she has now. She is the second or third mother player. I think she'll be again able to reach her highest level."
— Amelie Mauresmo

"Maybe the pregnancy gave me some magical powers.

"I swear this is probably the first tournament I've played in four years where I didn't have anything wrong with my lower extremities."
— Davenport, who won two three set matches on her way to the title

Hantuchova, who has now lost in all seven meetings with the American, admiringly called Davenport "an inspiration to moms all over the world. I have to congratulate her. She's back on top of her game and I'm glad to see her back."

While tennis remains a force in her life, nothing can replace her new baby for Davenport, who structures her tournament days around the little one.

"It's been difficult, but really fun," she said of her lifestyle change. "My days are amazingly occupied and busy, I'm extraordinarily blessed to have a job which requires me to be away from my child just three or fours ours per day.

"I get to spend all the time with him, but I have to be much more organized and on a schedule."

With her tennis reprise looking very likely, Davenport is quickly learning the ropes of traveling with a baby and will certainly be calling upon tournament organizers to provide for a nursery suite as she had in Bali.

"I'll travel with Jagger all the time," she confirmed. "I couldn't stand to be away from him for even one night. I don't know when that time will come when I have to leave him but it won't happen anytime soon."

Davenport is the second mother to win a title this season on the WTA following Austrian Sybille Bammer in Thailand early in the year.

Once Davenport does get back into the game, she's not expecting any problems with Jagger. "I'm with him 20 hours out of the day," said the new mother on a learning curve.

"We don't have anyone that lives with us so it's all me in the middle of the night doing everything. I feel I have the luckiest life in that regard, and a really, really well-behaved baby that sleeps a lot - that helps too."