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Former American World No. 7 Mardy Fish is on schedule for a return to tennis next week in the Indian Wells doubles event. The 33-year-old is expected to partner with Grigor Dimitrov in the doubles events.
Last hit with this clown before heading to the desert! @GrigorDimitrov pic.twitter.com/4mVl4wDLfr
— Mardy Fish (@MardyFish) March 5, 2015
It’s good news for Fish who hasn’t played an ATP level event since the Winston-Salem Open in August of 2013.
He and former coach Mark Knowles did win a round in the Dallas Challenger doubles event last month.
Fish has battled anxiety issue since first experiencing heart troubles during Miami in 2012. He underwent a cardiac catheter ablation procedure in June 2014 to deal with misfiring electrical pulses in his heart. But the mental issues over the ailment have remained.
In a new interview, he spoke this week to Douglas Robson for the NY Times about this mini-comeback and his battle with illness:
Fish is still on anti-anxiety medication. He remains in therapy. He usually wears a heart-rate monitor when he practices. He has traveled outside the country only twice since competing at Wimbledon in 2012 — to Canada and the Bahamas.
But he is light-years from where he was. He can sleep alone. He has pushed himself in practice matches without incident. Last month, he flew cross-country by himself.
“It sounds crazy, but that’s actually a huge step for me,” Fish said.
Fish said this won’t be a full comeback. Instead, he’ll play Indian Wells and Miami dobules and reassess.
Fish rose to a career-high No. 7 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on 15 August 2011 and has won six ATP World Tour singles titles.
In addition to Fish, Marin Cilic, Laura Robson and Tommy Haas are also expected to play at Indian Wells.
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