By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday August 28, 2023
Jennifer Brady returned to the Grand Slam stage with an opening-round victory over Australia's Kimberly Birrell.
Photo Source: Getty
Jennifer Brady is back in a New York groove.
After more than two years away from the Grand Slam stage, the former World No.13 notched an emotional win in front of a packed crowd on Court No.5, defeating Australia’s Kimberly Birrell, 6-3, 7-6(4).
Brady, who has played three events since returning from a two-year injury hiatus due to injuries to her left foot and left knee, relished the atmosphere on Monday in New York as she notched her 24th victory at a major, and her ninth at Flushing Meadows.
“Playing out on Court 5 was an unbelievable atmosphere,” Brady told reporters after the match. “I think, you know, some people maybe say it's not a good court or they're not good enough for that court, but it was unbelievable playing in front of the American crowd. Everyone was cheering for me, supporting me.”
Brady has cut her teeth in her comeback, playing matches on the challenger in Canada before competing at D.C., Montreal and Cincinnati this summer, but she wasn’t quite prepared for the nervous energy that would coarse through her body prior to her first Grand Slam match since her comeback started.
“Today I woke up feeling different than the other days or maybe from other tournaments,” she said. “I was, like, shaking. But it was good, because it means something to me. I know that, you know, I was going to go out there feeling nervous, you know, knew I wasn't going to play my best tennis.
“I just had to compete, find a way, and just stay in it.”
Brady’s injuries came at the worst possible time. She was riding the high of having reached the 2020 US Open semifinal and the final at the 2021 Australian Open. But the former UCLA Bruin appears to be ready to resume the top-flight tennis she was playing three years ago.
“Injuries are always tough,” she said. “But the toughest part is just not knowing when you're going to compete again. The unknown is something that, it's scary. You just never know when the first tournament is going to be, when you're back, if you're going to be able to continue playing, go week to week and just keep playing enough or if you're going to have another setback.”
Now that the toughest part is behind her, 28-year-old Brady is excited to be back in the game and setting her sights on making improvements to her tennis on a week-in, week-out basis.
She will face either Aliaksandra Sasnovich or Magda Linette in the second round.
“I'm here, I'm feeling pretty good,” she said. “I think there are a lot of things I can improve on and get better at, which is also exciting, because, you know, I feel like my level is still there.
“At times, you know, some things just aren't good enough. You know, I'm working every day just to get back to where I was, if not better than where I was, where I left off.”