At only 19, Madrie le Roux had to make one of the most difficult and untimely decisions of her life earlier this year.
But thankfully, her premature retirement from competitive tennis didn’t last long and the former SA Fed Cup player is back with a bang. She announced her return in style by winning the Wilson Challenge at the German Country Club in Johannesburg last month. The Uitenhage-born Le Roux romped to victory, beating Gauteng East’s Nicole Dzenga in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
But her flourishing career took a turn for the worst almost a year ago when poor health forced her to reconsider her future. It was during a Futures event at Sun City in June last year when she started feeling sick. “It felt like the flu was setting in. Luckily, it was in between tournaments so I was able to take the weekend off,” explained Le Roux, who put herself on general influenza medication.
“I had made the final but lost to Chanel Simmonds.” She immediately saw the doctor upon her return to Potchefstroom, where she trains with Riaan Venter at his academy at the NWU-Pukke courts. The SA No.3 was diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, also known as ‘mononucleosis’. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, swollen glands in the neck, general weakness and sore muscles.
Le Roux was unable to touch a racquet for four long months, eventually returning to the courts in early November. One of the defining effects of the virus is the lingering fatigue which played a huge role in stalling her comeback early in 2015. “I just didn’t feel my usual self,” said Le Roux. As a result, she plummeted down the world rankings and subsequently lost the Wilson contract that she signed at the age of 17.
And, as if that loss wasn’t damning enough, she also received the news that she hadn’t been reselected for the SA Fed Cup team. After dominating the national junior circuit for several years, as well as representing her country, the 19-year-old decided to call it a day. With the love for the game having been instilled in her since the age of 4, she gave coaching at the Riaan Venter Tennis Academy a shot.
During her stint as a coach, she bumped into the Fed Cup coaches who all expressed their sadness at her early retirement. This, coupled with her frustration while teaching others to play, led to her decision, in March, to start swinging her racquet once more. “Coaching just wasn’t for me and, looking back, I think I have made the right decision,” she said. “I feel more mature and I understand my game a lot better now.”
Next on her schedule are two ITF $10 000 Future events in Madagascar and Mauritius. She competed in the Madagascar capital Antananarivo last weekend, where she reached the semi-finals in the singles and the finals of the doubles. Le Roux gave the following update via her Twitter account on Sunday: “Lost in semis. 4/6 6/2 4/6 was a very tough match. Feels great being back and competing at a high level. Next up: Mauritius.” She, along with three other South Africans, are competing in Grand Baie La Croisette, Mauritius at the moment. Madrie is hoping to once more reach the finals this weekend. These tournaments form part of the Mary Pierce Indian Ocean Series.
Le Roux, who has been a part of the SA Fed Cup set-up since the age of 14, is targeting the upper realms of world tennis. Currently ranked 890 in the WTA world singles rankings, she aims to move into the top-200 within the next two years and ultimately reach the top-10 by the age of 26. For now, the player that lists Serena Williams as her No.1 role model, is happy to spend most of her days slogging it out between the lines.
“What Michael Jordan says is so true: If you put in the work, the results will come.”
