Comeback story

After bottoming out in the mid-‘90s, Jennifer Capriati made a dramatic return to the WTA Tour top 10 in 2001, when she won two Grand Slams and authored arguably the best comeback story in tennis.

But Billie Jean King offers a comeback story she says is more compelling.

“Chanda Rubin has overcome a number of operations and obstacles, and has had a unbelievable run to get back into the top 10,” said King, the U.S. Fed Cup captain. “Her passion and perseverance and success are one of the great stories in our sport. She is an inspiration.”

This weekend, area tennis fans have a chance to see the talented and tenacious Rubin.

Rubin, ranked eighth in the world, will lead the U.S. Fed Cup team against Italy in quarterfinal play today at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Northwest.

Rubin, 27, is eager to play, as King can testify.

“Chanda called me 9:30 p.m., a day before the names had to be turned in,” King said. Rubin along with Alexandra Stevenson, the 28th ranked singles player in the world, were added to the U.S. team roster in place of Venus Williams and Monica Seles, who both withdrew because of injuries.

The Fed Cup is a chance for Rubin, Stevenson, 18th ranked Meghann Shaughnessy and No. 26 Lisa Raymond to make career statements.

And Rubin is ready for the challenge.

“I’m looking forward to anchoring the team,” said Rubin, who will play both singles and doubles. “I’m expecting tough matches. We have to play solid and not put extra pressure on ourselves.”

It is remarkable that Rubin has reached this point in her career, considering the injuries she has been plagued with over the years.

In April 1996, Rubin reached a career-high No.6 in world. She also was an Australian Open semifinalist, losing to Seles. To get there she won the longest women’s match in Australian Open history — 3 hours and 33 minutes — in defeating then-No.3 Aranxtra Sanchez-Vicario in the quarterfinals. At that tournament she also won her lone Grand Slam title, with Sanchez-Vicario, in doubles.

She reached the final of the ‘96 Lipton Championships, now known as the Nasdaq 100 Open, losing to then-No.1 Steffi Graf. In that match, Rubin fractured the hook of the hamate bone in her right hand, and after undergoing surgery, she struggled trying to regain her form. She fell to No.78 in 1998.

In 2000, she reached the quarterfinals at the French Open, her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in four years. In the season-ending championships she was hampered by a knee injury.

Story Continues →