Bethanie Mattek-Sands will make her long-awaited return at the Miami Open after being given a singles wildcard.

The American suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in recent tennis history at last year’s Wimbledon, forcing her out of the sport.

In the second-round against Sorana Cirstea, her knee buckled on a net approach, leaving her in agony.

The ruptured patella tendon and dislocated kneecap she suffered required immediate surgery. This left the doubles #1 needing extensive time away from the game to recover.

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Bethanie Mattek-Sands to make injury return in Miami

The injury could not have come at a worse time as Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova were dominating the doubles circuit. The pair had won three of the last four Grand Slams and were eyeing the career slam. A Wimbledon title would have ensured they held all four at the same time. Only three other pairs have managed this; the Williams sisters, Gigi Fernandez with Natasha Zvereva, and Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver.

To be that close and have it unfairly ripped away was a cruel blow for Mattek-Sands. At 32, many players would have considered walking away from the game. A cornerstone of Mattek-Sands’ career though has been her positivity. She was quick to reassure fans she would return, with an emotional video posted on social media.

Fast forward through seven months of rehabilitation – alongside a successful stint in broadcasting – and Bethanie Mattek-Sands is back. It will be a heartwarming sight for tennis fans to see the 32-year-old return to the court, especially during her birthday week.

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Fans of Mattek-Sands and Safarova will have to wait a little longer to see the popular pair reunited. A lingering illness has forced Safarova to withdraw from the Miami Open. The five-time Grand Slam winning pair will reunite before long though, and the Wimbledon title will be their main objective.

Miami Open wildcard controversy

While no one has questioned Bethanie Mattek-Sands’ singles wildcard, other wildcards have been criticised by players and fans alike. Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka are unsurprising wildcards given their respective comebacks. They join Claire Liu, Amanda Anisimova, Whitney Osuigwe, Bernarda Pera and Alja Tomljanovic.

Never one to complain about wildcards as I’ve always had to earn my way, but disappointed in @miamiopen denying me a main draw wildcard. — Sachia Vickery (@SachiaVick) March 14, 2018

The form of Anisimova and Pera makes their inclusion understandable, but there is confusion as to why Sascha Vickery and Danielle Collins have been ignored. Both shone in Indian Wells and their wildcard oversight has led to some confusion amongst fans and players.

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