Monica Seles still hopes to return to top-level tennis despite being
sidelined for almost two years.

The 31-year-old former world number one has been struggling to
overcome a persistent foot injury and has recently confined her
performance to exhibition matches.

But in an interview with Spanish newspaper Sport, Seles revealed how
she has been training hard for the past six months in a last ditch
attempt to return to form.

"The injury is coming along very positively. I have been training for
the last six months and I am nearly fully recovered," she said.

"It's very frustrating because you feel capable of returning but your
body won't allow you to."

However, the Yugoslavian-born player admits that she may not recover
in time to make a comeback before she retires for good.

"My intention is to return, that's why I'm continuing to train, but I
have learnt you have to take things as they come," Seles continued.

"I don't want to have false hopes or rush myself. I want to come back
at a good level and, right now, I don't feel capable of taking on the
girls out there.

"If in the end I can't do it, I will have had a marvellous career and
will be happy remembering it."

In the meantime, Seles is impressed by the next generation of female
players who have come through the ranks in recent years.

"I believe the intervention of Anna [Kournikova] and also the
Williams sisters has been very positive for women's tennis," she
added.

© 1998-2005 DeHavilland Information Services plc. All rights
reserved.