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By Erik Gudris                                  Photo Credit: Tony Chang/Chang Photography

(February 29, 2012) After an almost year long battle with cancer, former top 20 player Alisa Kleybanova announced she will return to professional tennis after accepting a wildcard into next month's Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

On the WTA's site, Kleybanova posted a message saying she had completed treatment in her battle against Hodgkin's lymphoma that forced her to take an extended absence from the game in July of last year. In her message, Kleybanova said, "I finished my treatments in December and a couple of weeks ago I did my last tests in Italy. The treatments were successful, my doctors are happy with my health and I'm feeling great! I have started to train and right now I'm in Florida playing tennis again!!! It was physically really hard in the beginning, but it was so emotional that I didn't want to get off the court :) This is just amazing, I'm working out every day now and enjoying it so much more than before!"

Before her absence, Kleybanova had climbed as high as No. 20 in the world in singles on the WTA rankings while winning two titles along the way and reaching a career high No. 10 in doubles with five doubles titles to her credit. Kleybanova's last singles match on tour was last May in Rome where she reached the second round.

 

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