My Tennis Life: Nicole Gibbs provides a glimpse into her rehab process

Sam Groth and Nicole Gibbs are giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional tennis all year long in My Tennis Life. To read more updates from Sam and Nicole, go to TennisChannel.com.

Last week, Nicole Gibbs announced in a Tennis Channel exclusive that she would temporarily be stepping away from the tour to rehab a lingering injury.

We’ve been keeping up with the 24-year-old’s rehab as she works to return to the tour. In the videos below, Gibbs enjoys lunch at Panera Bread—though she’s clearly missing the bread—and walks backwards in a public park in Los Angeles.

It’s not the most riveting experience, Gibbs admits, but it’s necessary for the next phase of her career. If all goes according to plan and there are no setbacks, she believes that she can return to the court in a couple of weeks.

Gibbs had a solid run at the Australian Open, reaching the third round in Melbourne, but her year has been mostly underwhelming. She’s gone just 3-8 in 2017—one of those victories came in qualifying—and lost five consecutive matches before deciding to take some time off.

The American stated that her goal is to be back in time for the French Open. Ranked No. 128, she’ll need to qualify for a spot in the Roland Garros main draw. The qualifying tournament at the second Grand Slam of the year kicks off on May 22.

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