Carla Suarez Navarro‘s recovery from Hodgkin lymphoma is progressing well and the Spaniard dreams of playing doubles with Garbine Muguruza at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The 32-year-old expected to properly end her tennis career in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic and cancer diagnosis ruined her plans. Now that she’s finished her chemotherapy sessions, Suarez Navarro told BBC World Service that her ideal farewell would be at the Olympics.
I don’t want people to remember me in a hospital bed, so I’d like to go again into a big tournament. It would be a dream to do that – an Olympic Games to say bye to my tennis family and also all my tennis fans.
The world No.85 Suarez Navarro has discussed partnering with Muguruza, with whom she won three WTA doubles titles. They also teamed up at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
There is still a long road ahead and Suarez Navarro is aware that the physical recovery progress will be slow, but she apparently has reasons to believe that her appearance at the Olympics is possible. Doctors have encouraged her to be active and play tennis, although it is uncertain whether that also applies to playing professionally on the Tour.
I’ll feel so much joy and happiness when that moment comes. I’ll be very thankful and a little bit nervous to be on the court again. Hopefully it can happen in Tokyo. Hopefully we can go and play together again but there’s a lot that needs to be seen yet.
