On returning from Istanbul last year she started feeling unwell and tested positive for covid. She says it has taken months for her health to improve been pretty much bed bound. She was fearful her tennis career was over, as walking up the stairs saw her heart rate go up to 160. Every time she started to feel better she tried to do light exercise but she'd have a relapse and it would send her back to bed.
"The first few months were really difficult because I was stuck in bed and couldn't do anything," she says.
"It was pretty scary because no one could tell me when things were going to get better and it was basically just a waiting game. That was the hardest thing, not having any timeline for recovery.
"I definitely had moments when I wondered if I'd ever get back playing. When I couldn't see any improvement, I really wondered if I would ever get back."
She has returned to light training but is taking things slowly to avoid a relapse.
How horrible. Hope that she will be able to recover. So many stories are coming to light about the plight of people who are suffering from 'long covid' .
Article in Aberdeen Press and Journal earlier this week written by Eleanor Crooks said that Maia has long covid infact has caught covid twice and this has knocked her back though she is desperate to get back playing. Maia is playing some university tennis before deciding whether she will come back on tour.
Tanisha mentioned in same article but her long covid is much worse than Maias and some days struggles to get out of bed
I really feel for them both. I was wondering what had happened to Maia and must have missed this story. I had long Covid, nowhere near as bad as this, but breathless when walking any distance for at least six months. I can only imagine how difficult it must be if you're a professional athlete.
TheTennisTalker
@TheTennisTalker
Huge congratulations to Maia Lumsden who reaches the WTA Rouen Challenger Doubles Final and moves up to 87th provisionally in the WTA rankings
Maia will be the new British number 1 doubles player on Monday