"Exhausted all the time with no energy": Elina Avanesyan shares battle with mononucleosis amid form drop off after standout 2024

Elina Avanesyan had a standout 2024 making her Australian Open debut, claiming a first top 10 win & WTA Tour final and reaching top 50 while knocking on the door of the top 40. She also reached a WTA 500 semi-final this season.

But Avanesyan has seen her season collapse like a pack of cards and has confirmed why amid a battle with a viral infection knowing as mononucleosis that she hasn't managed to recover from fully in order to reach her top level.

The 22-year-old Armenian who defected from Russia last year to represent the country her parents are from has a record of 12-15 after nine months and many doubts creeping in about her performance. Often despite playing in WTA 250 tournaments as the top player, she has barely mustered a win and lost at the US Open to Zakharova not winning all but one game all summer. She lost in the second round at the Iasi Open as the only time she's gone past the first round for some time.

Avanesyan said she was diagnosed with the issue in March. Known as spreading through close contact with inflected saliva which sees the patient have severe fatigue, sore throat, fever and swollen lymph nodes, it should in theory subside after a few weeks. But Avanesyan has suffered more than most with wrist and shoulder pain to add to the mix and while she is determined to fight back against it, she admits it has been tough personally over the last six months or so to get through it.

"I wanted to take a moment to share something more personal with you all, because these past months have been very challenging for me," she wrote on social media.

"Back in March, I was diagnosed with mononucleosis. At first I didn’t fully realize how much it would affect me, but soon I was feeling exhausted all the time, with no energy, and even the simplest training sessions became really difficult. This was especially hard to accept because the first two months of the season had gone so well. I was competing at a high level, feeling in great shape, and truly enjoying my tennis. To go from that to feeling so weak and unable to perform was incredibly frustrating.

"Then in Miami I started to struggle with significant wrist pain, which took a long time to recover from. Just when I thought I was getting better, I faced another setback with shoulder pain, and it has felt like one thing after another ever since. These physical issues have been very difficult to manage, especially because my body hasn’t fully recovered from the illness. It feels like everything has taken longer than usual to heal, which makes the process even more challenging.

"I have been working closely with my team every single day, doing everything possible to heal, regain my strength, and prepare myself to compete again at 100%. But the truth is, this journey has tested me in ways I didn’t expect. There have been moments of frustration and even doubt, but I have also learned a lot about patience, resilience, and how much I truly love this sport.

"Being able to play matches again has been a big step, but competing while not feeling like myself on court is really hard. More than anything, I miss being able to fight at my highest level and enjoy the game the way I know I can. That is what keeps me motivated every day to push through this process.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who continue to support me through the ups and downs. Your kind messages and encouragement mean more to me than I can put into words. They give me strength on the hard days and remind me why I keep fighting.

I believe this is just one chapter, and I cannot wait to be back out there competing pain-free, healthy, and stronger than ever."