Borna Coric wins ATP Comeback Player of the Year

James Richardson
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Celebrations from Borna Coric

Borna Coric’s resolve to recover his best tennis after missing a year due to a shoulder injury turned into one of the most motivational plotlines running through the 2022 ATP Tour season.

The 2022 ATP Awards will honour Coric as the Comeback Player of the Year in recognition of the Croatian’s efforts after overcoming adversity.

Coric said that he was delighted to get back out on court and win a Masters title to boot.

“I’m super happy to win the ATP Comeback Player of the Year award,” said Coric.

“Obviously it does mean a lot to me after a very, very hard season, and after my shoulder surgery. So all I can say is thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. It does mean a lot to me and obviously I hope that my next season is going to be even better.”

Coric revealed has had to put in between 30 and 90 minutes a day working on his right shoulder to manage it since having surgery in May 2021. 

He has had to put in so much work that simply doesn’t get seen, and that just to get back onto a tennis court at all.

The 26-year-old has climbed back up the ATP Rankings this year despite this. Coric finished the season at No 26, having fallen as low as No 278 in May.

Coric was obviously rusty after making his comeback at Indian Wells in March and took some time to get back into the swing of things.

The former World No 12 returned to the ATP Tour winner’s’ circle at the Western & Southern Open in August, winning a title on the ATP Challenger Tour in Italy in June as an indication that he was beginning to find his feet again.

“I have no words, to be honest,” said Coric in Cincy.

“It’s just an unbelievable feeling… I thought I could play well. I was training hard, and I knew I could play good tennis, but that I could play this level tennis, I was just not aware. I’m just super happy.”

Along with Dominic Thiem, Stan Wawrinka, and Wu Yibing, Coric was nominated in the Comeback category after the group of players all overcame injury to once again establish themselves as a key forces on the ATP Tour.

Coric stood out above the others for the scope of his success and of course for bagging a Masters title.

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