Back injury ends Pe’er’s 2011 early

Pe'er failed to make it past the second round in 10 of her past 12 tournaments, suffered from pain in her back over last two weeks

By ALLON SINAI
Peer 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Peer 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A disappointing 2011 season has come to a premature end for Shahar Pe’er after she was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her back, ruling her out of action for four weeks.
The 24-year-old Israeli, who failed to make it past the second round in 10 of her past 12 tournaments, had suffered from pain in her back over the last two weeks while playing and training in Tokyo and Beijing.
However, the stress fracture in a vertebra in her lower back was only diagnosed earlier this week after she flew to Israel to be checked at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.“I’m very disappointed to be ending the season like this,” said Pe’er, who was scheduled to complete 2011 with tournaments in Linz and Luxembourg. “I had really hoped to end the season with two successful tournaments in Europe.
Fortunately, the stress fracture was diagnosed at an early stage so the injury isn’t supposed to be too serious.”
Pe’er, who was knocked out in the first round of the China Open on Sunday, the seventh time this year she was sent packing in an opening round of a tournament, will rest in the next four weeks before resuming training in Israel ahead of a pre-season camp in the US at the end of the year.
"After a long season I’m happy to be back in Israel for almost two months,” said Pe’er, who is set to drop out of the world’s top-30 next week for the first time since 2009. “But of course I’m really looking forward to getting back to the court, working hard and beginning next season a healthier and better player.”