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Starting over

Stephanie Herz, fresh from shoulder surgery, is ready for a big return.

By KELLIE DIXON, Times Staff Writer
Published January 8, 2008

Stephanie Herz, 17, returns a volley during a practice at Saddlebrook. Herz was sidelined last season after injuring her right shoulder in a car accident. She decided to have surgery and took some time off. She says she really missed the sport.
	[Kellie Dixon | Times]

WESLEY CHAPEL

Consider this Stephanie Herz's comeback.

The 17-year-old Wesley Chapel resident might not be billed as the player to beat in this week's Grand Slam Futures tournament at Saint Leo University. But she already has overcome one obstacle - shoulder surgery - to get to this point.

About a year ago, Herz was planning to go pro in tennis. Already out of high school - she graduated when she was 15 - Herz was strictly pursuing her tennis career.

One day last November, she was on her way to the Saddlebrook tennis courts to practice. Her dad was driving when another car struck them on the driver's side. Herz's dad tried to avoid the collision and went into the ditch. Herz recalled a sign crashed into her side of the car.

The pain didn't start right away for Herz so she kept playing tennis. But a few days later, her right shoulder became difficult to move.

It took several weeks and even more doctors before Herz and her family found a doctor in Miami who seemed to have the right answer. She had a frayed labrum in her right shoulder and the doctor gave her two options: a cortisone shot or surgery.

She went with surgery, but that meant taking time off.

At first, she admitted, she was a bit relieved. Taking a break from tennis, a sport she had played since she was 3 years old, sounded pretty nice.

Herz started playing when she was a young girl growing up in Holland. By the time she was 9 years old, she had such a high ranking that Nick Bolletieri started coaching her. She went on to be ranked No. 1 in the world among 12-year-old singles when she was 11. As an 11-year-old she also was a Dutch national champion.

She has earned a lot of accolades in the sport - including being No. 1 among 12 singles, 14 singles and 16 singles. So it didn't take her long to realize that time off wasn't nice at all. She missed the sport a lot, and she can't imagine her life without it.

But with her newfound free time she took a few more high school classes - AP calculus and business law - and worked on her fitness.

She got straight A's, while she improved her movement on the court. She upped her cardio, which was sort of tricky because she wasn't allowed to run. The movement would affect her shoulder too much.

Herz said her game wasn't affected that much, even though she didn't touch a racket for a while. But because she wasn't playing in the tournaments, she lost all of her points.

That's why she had to play through a qualifier, which ends today, to make this week's tournament.

She had to start all over again. But her mom, Tamara Herz, said her daughter never got discouraged.

"You never know in life what's going to happen," said Tamara Herz. "You can see one car accident can change your life. I'm very happy she will be back on the court."

That is where Herz is the most comfortable. Often she'll practice with her dad. But last Thursday, she was hitting with Switzerland's Stefanie Boffa at Saddlebrook.

Saddlebrook has become home to Herz. Her family moved from Holland to Florida in 2000. She graduated from high school in Bradenton and then the family moved closer to Saddlebrook.

The 5-foot-8 Herz, sponsored by Nike and Babolat racket companies, is excited about making it this far. She's optimistic about her future.

"My goal right now is to get some good matches in to see how my shoulder holds up, try to get some points for the rankings and go from there," Herz said.

"It'd be nice obviously to qualify. But as long as my shoulder holds up and I'm able to get a lot of good matches in, I think that would be successful for me."

The Westgate Printing Grand Slam Futures Tampa Bay tournament

When: Singles main draw starts today; doubles main draw starts today, time to be announced.

Where: Main draw events will be held at Saint Leo University.

Prizes: The USTA Pro Circuit event offers a $10,000 purse to the men's winner and a $25,000 purse to the women's winner.

One to know: John Hoyes, a Saddlebrook resident, also hopes to compete in the tournament.

More information: Visit www.itftennis.com and click on the Men's Circuit or Women's Circuit.

[Last modified January 7, 2008, 20:12:52]