Harrison quits singles after five wrist surgeries

TL;DR

Tina Harrison: Ballwin resident and former state doubles champ quits singles tennis after repeated wrist injuries.[[1]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)
Fifth Surgery: Doctors gave blunt advice post her fifth right wrist operation last March.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)
Doubles Option: She may continue playing doubles to stay in the sport she loves.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)

The story at a glance

Ballwin resident Tina Harrison, a former high school state doubles champion at St. Joseph's Academy, has stopped playing singles tennis. This follows her fifth surgery on her right wrist in March last year, when doctors told her plainly to give up the demanding play. The piece covers her adaptation in a local suburban paper.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)

Key points

Tina Harrison lives in Ballwin, Missouri, and was photographed by Dennis Caldwell in a mid-1990s image from her St. Joseph's days.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)
She won Missouri state doubles titles in 1993 and 1994 with partner Jill Aboussie.[[3]](https://mosportshalloffame.com/inductees/st-josephs-academy-girls-tennis-program)
Underwent five surgeries on her right wrist, with the latest in March of the prior year.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)
Doctors spoke bluntly after the last procedure, leading her to end singles competition.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)
Article notes she might still play doubles occasionally.[[2]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/harrison-gives-up-the-singles-life/article_c2187bc4-8331-5b29-bc28-9c60b08e58df.html)

Details and context

Tina Harrison's tennis background includes success at St. Joseph's Academy, a St. Louis-area school known for its strong girls' tennis program with multiple state titles. Her doubles wins came during the early 1990s, highlighting her skill before injuries took hold.[[4]](https://www.mshsaa.org/Activities/IndividualChampions.aspx?alg=49&mode=student)

The repeated wrist surgeries point to overuse or repetitive strain common in racket sports like tennis, where right-handed players rely heavily on that dominant hand for serves and forehands. A related earlier story described her learning to use her left side more.[[5]](https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/former-prep-champion-harrison-learning-to-go-to-her-left/article_7f13fc93-6b33-5204-9dc9-f8237ec736e3.html)

This local feature shows how amateur athletes adapt to physical limits while staying involved.

Key quotes

No direct quotes are reliably accessible beyond the reported blunt doctor advice after surgery.

Why it matters

Persistent injuries like Harrison's wrist problems highlight risks in recreational tennis for former competitive players. For local St. Louis tennis enthusiasts and ex-high school athletes, it means shifting to less demanding formats like doubles preserves health and enjoyment. Watch if she competes in doubles tournaments or shares recovery tips in future local coverage.