Montgomery: "I learned to treat myself with more kindness and not demand so much from myself"

Robin Montgomery became one of the early protagonists on this grass court swing after claiming her first professional title in the Netherlands. Can you believe she achieved this after overcoming an eleven-month injury?

Life sometimes unfolds in this way; first taking your breath away, then offering a breath of fresh air. This story fits perfectly with Robin Montgomery, who had to step away from tennis in June of last year, only returning at the end of March. Suddenly, in her eighth tournament of the season, the 21-year-old tennis player arrives in ’s-Hertogenbosch and clinches the title, a first in her individual career. A fairy tale that the player herself shared in an engaging interview with Tennis Channel. Here are the most interesting highlights.

First Time WTA Champion

“It's amazing, truly. It wasn’t necessarily one of my goals this year; it was more about getting my ranking back to where it was before or even higher. However, the most important thing for me was to stay healthy and play as many matches as possible. Still, being a WTA champion has a very special ring to it.”

Robin Montgomery Shares Her Most Severe Injury Experience

“I knew I needed surgery since February 2025, but the doctors told me it wasn't urgent and I could decide when to go through with it. My goal was to make it to the US Open because I’m American, I love playing in the US circuit, and I hadn’t had many opportunities to participate in all those tournaments. However, when Wimbledon came around, after many ups and downs throughout the year, the situation became very draining. It was a day-to-day process because I never knew how my wrist would feel when I woke up. After Wimbledon, I decided to remove the bandage once and for all and have the surgery. Knowing that I would eventually need the surgery was also affecting me mentally.”

Montgomery’s Darkest Period

“I didn’t expect the recovery to last ten months; when I entered the operating room, they told me it would be three to six months. My physical therapist explained that doctors often give the timeframe for returning to a normal life but that returning as an elite athlete usually takes a few more months. It was a long and tough process, though it also had positive aspects, and I’m glad I went through it. I stayed away from the court for about two to three months; during the first six weeks, I didn’t even step on a court. Honestly, I didn’t want to either; I was very drained from everything that had happened that year, and I wasn’t enjoying myself on the court anymore. I made sure to take the necessary time, knowing how long the process would be, I didn’t want to rush my comeback.”

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Learning after Emerging from a Very Dark Tunnel

“It helped me solidify who I am as a person, what kind of people I want around me, and in what environments I feel comfortable, both on and off the court with the people who travel with me. I also gained more independence to make decisions for myself; that was probably the main lesson from this entire process. I had to accept something I already knew: I’m very hard on myself. I used to think that was good for me, but it’s a double-edged sword. During this recovery, I started learning to treat myself with more kindness and not demand so much from myself.”

Robin Montgomery’s New Mentality and Future Goals

“My main goal for this year wasn’t to win titles; it was to return to the top 100. I had entered the top 100 last year, but then I had to stop. Now I wanted to achieve it again and be okay if I didn’t make it before the end of the year. I know I won’t give up, and eventually, I will return to the top 100 and reach even higher… but of course, after winning this tournament, I thought, ‘I want to win another WTA 250 and I also want to win a WTA 500.’ Right now, I do feel that excitement and passion to dream big, but at the same time, I know that as long as I’m healthy, it’s already a blessing to have this second chance to compete at this level.”

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Montgomery: “Aprendí a tratarme con más amabilidad y no exigirme tanto”