Injury-plagued Thai tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan has played down talk he will quit the sport and says he is determined to return to winning ways. Although the former world number nine has been eliminated early or been forced to pull out of most tournaments over the last eight months, he insists retirement is still a long way off.
"Athletes only retire when they are chronically injured or too old to compete, but I am not," Paradorn told local media on Friday.
"I've been there before and I know how to get back there. I still have the desire to get back."
The 27-year-old is suffering persistent tendinitis in his wrist and will consider surgery if it fails to heal, which would rule him out of Wimbledon and the French Open.
Despite slumping to number 83 in the rankings and number two domestically, Paradorn's romance with Canadian former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova has ensured his celebrity status remains intact at home in Thailand.
He says his forced break from the game has done him some good.
"I have time for a normal life like normal people," he said. "Our relationship is quite healthy, we're very happy."
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