WTA: Belinda Bencic speaks in St. Petersburg about lung problems after corona disease

During her matches, it was noticed that the Olympic champion was breathing intensely.

“I’m glad I can still play, but it will take some time to recover – I’m told two or three months,” she said after beating Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan in the last 16.

Bencic was certain that she was not the only athlete suffering from the late effects of corona disease. “I think that some athletes are currently feeling that their fitness is not at the same level as usual,” she said.

“It’s tedious, but I have to work with what I have available,” said the Swiss, nonetheless combative.

Bencic was already struggling with the late effects in Australia

She also had health problems at the Australian Open, where she was eliminated in the second round by Amanda Anisimova: “It was the same in Australia. I expected that I wouldn’t have the best chance of winning many matches, but I’m doing my best to get back in shape.”

Several top players became infected at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. Among others, it caught the Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal, Andrey Rublev and Emma Raducanu.