China's Peng Shuai eyes to make a comeback to competitive tennis at the beginning of 2016 after taking a surgery on her backbone, which left her away from the court nearly two months.
Peng, one of the Chinese women's tennis trailblazers dubbed as "Golden Flowers," told reporters that she will start fitness training this week, "hoping to get back at the start of 2016."
She was chosen to toss the coin to decide who served first in the women's singles semi-final between Spaniard Garbine Muguruza and Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska on -Saturday at the China Open in Beijing, but said the player's seat is what she is looking for.
"I have never been away from tennis for so long," said the 29-year-old.
"After the surgery I had -rehab in Nanjing, during which I was really upset as I cannot even have some simple -actions."
Peng said the doctor told her she needs at least three months to rehab before getting back on court.
"But now I still want to play, I want to play at the Australian Open," Peng said. "Next year will also see the Olympic Games, I need to be prepared."
Her 2015 was beleaguered by injury. She suffered a first-round exit at the French Open before taking on the surgery at the end of July in the US.
"That's the place where I wanted to be," said Peng, who is currently sitting 117th in the WTA singles ranking.
Peng, one of the leading names in the women's -doubles, won the doubles title at the -China Open last year when paired with Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic.
She is yet to decide whether to pick up her racket focusing on the singles or doubles, citing her fitness condition as a major concern to decide.
Peng has never won a WTA singles title but made her first Grand Slam singles quarter-final and semifinal -appearances in the US Open last year. She lost to Caroline Wozniacki in the semis.
