I Nearly Misplaced My Ball
Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Friday, October 18, 2024
Picture credit score: Clive Brunskill/Getty
New balls please was as soon as the motto of the ATP.
Lately, it was a really scary alternative Andrei Rublev.
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Chatting with the media on the Stockholm Open, Rublev shared the worry for his life after his bodily five-set loss to Grigor Dimitrov final month.
In each male athlete’s worst nightmare, Rublev suffered testicular trauma.
Or as Rublev bluntly summed it up: “I nearly misplaced my ball.”
The reigning Madrid champion felt ache in his testicles following a five-set loss on the US Open.
Happily, Rublev went to the hospital for therapy the place he confronted a terrifying prospect: a testicle amputation.
“Now I really feel full, the whole lot went effectively,” mentioned Rublev to the press in Stockholm. “I do not know learn how to name it sensible however I can name it humorous.
“I nearly misplaced the ball, I used to be very fortunate as a result of they are saying you solely have 5 – 6 hours when the blood stops going there and it’s lower off. I used to be fortunate. I do not know why I mentioned let’s go to the hospital. It is simply to verify why I really feel a wierd feeling’.
“They checked out me straight away they usually handled me as an emergency to function, they usually have been capable of function on me three or 4 hours after the primary sensation I felt. So that they have been capable of do the whole lot good and ultimately the whole lot is nice. good.”
World No. 7 Rublev is now again in his step, however shared that it’s nearly a brand new soccer recreation.
The final reminiscence Rublev had earlier than the anesthesia kicked in was signing a launch kind permitting docs to take away the testicle if wanted.
“For the final time earlier than they put me to sleep, I signed a paper saying that they have been allowed to chop my soccer,” Rublev recalled. “That was the very last thing I noticed earlier than the operation.”
39-year-old Stan Wawrinka beat high seed Rublev popping out of the Stockholm Open as we speak, 7-6, 7-6, to turn out to be the oldest semi-finalist within the match’s historical past.
Nonetheless, Rublev is relieved to be again on the courtroom in good well being.