Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has received acupuncture treatment on a painful right wrist to be ready for the US Open, starting Monday, local media reported on Friday.
The 22-year-old, who reached the US Open fourth round in 2005 and the third round in 2007, underwent wrist surgery in April last year but was sidelined from the New York event after the problem flared up during the preceding Beijing Olympics.
Mirza became the first Indian to win a WTA tour event in 2005 and touched a world ranking of 27 two years ago, but has now slipped to 71 in the list.
She flew home to Hyderabad last week after the pain returned while playing in the US.
"I started feeling some pain on my right wrist in the semi-final in Vancouver [challenger]," Mirza told the Times of India. "It got worse with every match. I thought it would be better to get some treatment before the US Open.
"I'm much better now, but not absolutely pain-free," she said. "I've had a good run of matches and I'm striking the ball well. Hopefully, the wrist will hold up."
Sania opens her campaign in the last major of the year, against world No 64 Olga Govortsova of Belarus.
The record between the world No 71 Sania and her Belarussian opponent is 1-1.
Sania had beaten Govortsova in a qualifying event in 2007 and the Belarussian settled scores with a win in Doha the following year.
If Sania clears the first hurdle, she could run into 10th seed Italian Flavia Pennetta in the second round.
Sania has not done well in singles events at Grand Slams this year, reaching the second round of the Australian Open and Wimbledon and falling at the very first hurdle at the French Open.
