How are you doing? First of all, I owe you an apology for not writing in so long. This week I felt like writing again. Maybe it is a sign that I feel more comfortable and it's a beginning of new days.

I really want to thank all of you for your support. I have received a lot of mail from many fans; I read every email. I want you all to know that I am very moved by the emails. You all play a big part in keeping my spirits high.

If I look at my season until this point it is hard for me to put my finger on a specific thing that caused my loss of momentum. I think it can be attributed to various reasons such as the Dubai scandal, my injury, and some unnecessary losses.

I am working very hard, and I am doing very well in practices. Unfortunately, there is still a disconnect between practice and matches for me; I am not consistent.

The most important thing for me is that I know and feel that I am doing the thing I love the most. I know for sure that I will keep working hard and believing, and that things will connect for me soon. I do feel like I am a top 30 level player (at least).

Three weeks ago, I arrived in the USA and found out that I was chosen by American Express to be a part of their campaign for the US Open. American Express also chose Gael Monfils (France), Sam Querrey (USA) and Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark). It is a big honor for me to be part of a campaign like this with such great players. I also feel very fortunate to be a partner of a big and respected company like American Express.

As part of the campaign, last week I had a whole day of shooting. It started with still shots on and off court, and then some video footage on court. They fixed my hair and put on make up. I felt like a tennis model!

In the afternoon, Caroline and I had a one-on-one; we interviewed each other for more than half an hour. We spoke about our families, how we started playing tennis, our private lives, and the pressure professional athletes undergo. We had a very open and sincere conversation, which was a lot of fun.

I had a very fun day!

That's all for now. I will write you again soon.

Shahar