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Three years ago, Ryan Colby left the USTA National Clay Court Championships with his elbow in shambles and his tennis future in doubt.

A piece of bone in Colby’s elbow broke off during the tournament. He was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the outer elbow side, a condition that results from repetitive trauma to the capitellum.

Boys 18s Singles Champion Ryan Colby
© Contributed Photo

Colby was told by some doctors that he would never play competitive tennis at a high level ever again. But Colby found a specialist that offered a solution, and he underwent successful bone transplant surgery.

Colby’s recovery came full circle last weekend when he stood on the clay at the Delray Beach Tennis Center in Florida as a champion. The blue chip rising senior from Alexandria, Virginia defeated No. 9 Nicholas Heng of Madison, Alabama 7-6(4), 6-3 in the final

“It meant a lot more because of all I have gone through,” said Colby, one of the No. 17 seeds. “It’s a great accomplishment to do this after getting hurt and pushing through it. My only goal for this tournament was to do the best I could. I didn’t really focus on winning. The best I could hope for was to get through the tournament healthy.”