Amanda Zahui writhed in pain on the Södertälje bench as the final buzzer sounded, her SM-final debut ending not with a basket but with an ambulance ride to hospital.
The 32-year-old center, who returned to Swedish basketball in February after 14 years abroad, suffered what team officials describe as a suspected Achilles tendon injury with six minutes left in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the finals against Luleå. Zahui hobbled off the court, received treatment on the sideline, and was transported by ambulance for emergency evaluation.
Södertälje lost the opening match 95–57 to the regular season champions, a deficit compounded by the loss of their marquee signing. Sportchef Ludwig Degernäs confirmed Zahui was at the hospital’s emergency department and said more information would be available Wednesday.
“She’s in pain, so we need to deliver her time,” Degernäs told SVT Sport, relaying the same update via text: “Suspected Achilles injury. We’ll grasp more tomorrow.”
Lagkamraten Louice Halvarsson told Radiosporten the injury “feels like it goes all the way to the spinal cord,” adding that the team would wait for a diagnosis before commenting further.
Zahui’s return to the SBL Dam this season was heralded as a major coup after her eight-year WNBA career and stints in Russia, Italy and Turkey. She is widely regarded as one of Sweden’s greatest ever basketball players.
The injury casts doubt over her availability for Game 2 on Friday in Södertälje, with the best-of-five series now hinging on whether Södertälje can cope without its veteran leader.
The severity of the injury remains uncertain, though Achilles tendon issues have historically required lengthy rehabilitation for elite athletes. No timetable for recovery has been provided by the club or medical staff.
Luleå, meanwhile, advances with momentum from a dominant performance, though they acknowledged the physical challenge posed by Södertälje’s veteran duo of Zahui and Halvarsson, who have nearly 200 combined national team appearances.
What is the current status of Amanda Zahui’s condition?
She is being evaluated at the hospital’s emergency department for a suspected Achilles tendon injury, with further updates expected on Wednesday.
How does this injury affect Södertälje’s chances in the finals?
Södertälje lost Game 1 by 38 points and now faces Game 2 without its star center, whose availability for the remainder of the best-of-five series is uncertain pending diagnosis.