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Marion Bartoli: Former Wimbledon champion to return to WTA Tour

Last updated on .From the section Tenniscomments106

Wimbledon 2013: Bartoli wins Wimbledon title

Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli will return to the WTA Tour in 2018, bringing an end to more than four years in retirement.

The Frenchwoman, 33, quit the sport in August 2013 citing persistent injury problems, less than six weeks after winning her only Grand Slam title.

"It's going to be a huge challenge," said Bartoli, who will make her comeback at the 2018 Miami Open beginning on 19 March.

"I still have a lot of practice ahead."

Marion Bartoli: 'I can't wait to be back on the tennis court'

Speaking on Instagram, she added:external-link "I'm really looking forward to being on the court again, especially in Paris at Roland Garros in my home country, but also for the Fed Cup and Wimbledon."

Bartoli has won eight WTA titles and reached a career-high world ranking of seventh in 2012. She was also Wimbledon runner-up in 2007.

She won her first Grand Slam at the 47th attempt - the longest wait in women's tennis - by beating Germany's Sabine Lisicki 6-1 6-4 in the final.

In 2016, she revealed she had "feared for her life" after contracting an unknown virus that caused dramatic weight loss.

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106 comments

  • Comment posted by Boris, at 20:35 19 Dec 2017

    Some insulting comments from people who are so easy to judge having achieved nothing themselves. Good luck to her, I wish her well.

  • Comment posted by David, at 23:27 19 Dec 2017

    best commentator there is. All the others just state what we can see. she adds real insight. Hope she has fun and does well. she was less talented than many but a superb competitor. Also prettier than Inverdale thought.

  • Comment posted by Navoknalli, at 20:21 19 Dec 2017

    You do realise Konta's quarter-final match was the most watched match at Wimbledon this year with 7.4 million viewers. So I don't know why you think nobody watches women's tennis!

  • Comment posted by taylor01pe, at 20:09 19 Dec 2017

    Inverdale will be happy...

  • Comment posted by Huggie, at 20:41 19 Dec 2017

    Glad to have a top player back. Hopefully she's able to keep playing without persistent injuries cropping up again. Bit of rest can do the body a world of good

    At least this is proper tennis news as well. Rather than the filler of Serena Williams needing parenting help, which was neither news nor sports.

  • Comment posted by Jenkybeats, at 20:27 19 Dec 2017

    Fantastic player, welcome back.

  • Comment posted by markyp1965, at 20:09 19 Dec 2017

    Perhaps she has missed the routine and discipline that being a professional athlete brings as well as the feeling of competition.
    Good luck to her, the women’s game won’t be any worse off for Marion’s return.

  • Comment posted by MoreClaretThanBlue, at 21:06 19 Dec 2017

    In a sport needing personalities, MB's return is very welcome.

  • Comment posted by bluearmyfaction, at 20:07 19 Dec 2017

    It will be great to see her back, I always thought it a shame she did not get to defend her Wimbledon title, so at least being able to return to the scene of her triumph will give the crowd a chance to acknowledge her. She did look dangerously thin a couple of years ago, so it's great to see she has recovered from that.

  • Comment posted by Christopher Clarke-Williams, at 20:04 19 Dec 2017

    Like most tennis fans I far prefer the skill and spectacle of the Women's game to the wham bang thankyou mam style of most male players. Marion Bartoli was a joy to watch and if she is now fit again the very best of luck to her.

  • Comment posted by Huggie, at 10:43 20 Dec 2017

    @83. You're still commenting on her as if anyone would care that she doesn't fit your ideal.

    Her physique doesn't matter as long as she's good at what she does.....and she is

  • Comment posted by U14882533, at 23:57 19 Dec 2017

    Great news Marion, you were sadly missed.

  • Comment posted by Boris, at 21:55 19 Dec 2017

    HYS is a ridulicious format, I follow this every now and then and it always falls in to the general insulting game. What on earth does the BBC think it’s doing by having this platform?
    By the time it’s reached 200 posts, it should be renamed Have Your Insults every time 😂😂😂

  • Comment posted by Almost a neutral, at 20:39 19 Dec 2017

    welcome back. Now she is feeling better, perhaps MB wants to ensure she gives it one good try having felt compelled to quit for health reasons before.

    Hope she gets back in contention again. If so the WTA tour will be all the better for that

  • Comment posted by The Cloud, at 20:10 19 Dec 2017

    It was great to see when she won the Wimbledon title, but it was just the opposite when she retired soon after citing a bad injury. In 2016, she had that virus which nearly resulted in her needing (I think) a blood transfusion. She then put on quite a bit of weight.

    Anyway, as long as she is fit, healthy and in good condition, it will be great to have her back - but we'll see how long for.

  • Comment posted by U16655229, at 09:10 20 Dec 2017

    @69

    You are obviously easily pleased if Inverdale is "a pleasure to listen to". I can't stand him. He brings nothing to broadcasting and is a clown of the highest order.

  • Comment posted by U14966550, at 23:50 19 Dec 2017

    Good luck to Marion, glad to see she's recovered from her illness. There's better players than her bit few better role models in terms of workrate. Plus, she's stunning despite John Inverdale's hamfisted compliment about her a few years ago.

  • Comment posted by Idrinkyourmilkshake, at 10:23 20 Dec 2017

    71. Posted by Larry David

    Just seen that she has sadly put tons of weight back on again. She is even fatter now than she was before she retired. She looked better thin.
    ---------

    And you sounded better before you started typing.

  • Comment posted by Brick Tamland, at 14:38 20 Dec 2017

    91. Posted by Larry David

    ...I have absolutely zero interest in women's tennis.
    ---------

    Then stop commenting on it. Your contributions won't be missed.

  • Comment posted by Huggie, at 09:39 20 Dec 2017

    @71 I'm sure she cares desperately about your judgement of her body and will do everything in her power to conform to your "approved" standards.

    Just kidding. You're a nobody and she's a successful grand slam winning tennis player. Basically you're an even lesser version of Inverdale

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