WASHINGTON, July 1 (RIA Novosti) – Alisa Kleybanova, the Russian professional tennis player whose career was derailed by a battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is back on the court Monday at the SP Gold River Challenger professional women's tennis tournament in California.
Kleybanova, 23, had earned more than $20 million and won two Women’s Tennis Association titles when diagnosed with cancer in late 2011. At her peak ranked 20th in the world, Kleybanova was forced to stop playing for two years, and is currently ranked 940th.
The Gold River Challenger will be Kleybanova’s third tournament this year as she attempts to return to the top. Kleybanova won the singles trophy in the first tournament of her comeback in May in Pennsylvania, and was runner-up in her second in Buffalo, New York in June.
On Monday she is facing Julia Boserup, an American player ranked by the WTA as 174th in the world, but seeded first in the tournament.
The Gold River Challenger, part of the USTA Pro Circuit, offers $50,000 in prize money.
