Former Top 5-player Anna Chakvetadze says she is completely over the inner ear infection that caused dizzy spells and nearly sidelined her for almost the entire 2011 season.
Chakvetadze is using her special ranking to enter 2012 tournaments and will open her year in Hobart. "I'm 100% healthy now. It doesn't bother me anymore. I'm completely over it," the No. 232- ranked Russian told the WTA. "Of course it's going to be physically tough to start playing tournaments again because I wasn't training at this level for a long time, and right now I can't do three practices a day like I used to, but I feel so motivated to be back. I miss playing, I miss hitting the ball, I miss competing. I've found my motivation again and if I didn't think I could do well again, I wouldn't be coming back."
In December, Chakvetadze ran for a seat in the Russian Duma with the Right Cause Party but was not elected.