Russia's Petrova shaking off mid-career blues

By Barry Wood

BALI, Indonesia (Reuters) - She has earned more than $6 million in prize money, lives in Monte Carlo and travels the world as a pampered tennis professional, but still Nadia Petrova is not immune to career crises.

Despite enjoying all the trappings of a touring pro, the 26-year-old hankers after some of the simpler things in life -- a normal social life, fun and occasionally doing "crazy things".

"It's what we do for a living, but it's not what we live for," she said of the sport that has made her rich.

The former world number three plummeted in the rankings after failing to win a match in six of her first seven tournaments this year, crediting it to a mid-career crisis.

She eventually got back on track at Eastbourne, where she reached the final, following that up with a Wimbledon quarter-final before claiming her eighth career title in Cincinnati last month.

The 26-year-old Russian is seeded fourth at the Bali Classic this week, where a semi-final would lift her back inside the top 20.

"It happens to a lot of players, you know, when they hit this, I guess, mid-career crisis," Petrova told Reuters.

"It was tough. It was very tough, and you really need to have the right people around you to help you get out of it."