By Scott French, Senior Editor The long wait for WUSA fans appears over. Mia Hamm, who hasn't played in a match since the Unity Games benefits last November, is slated to see limited action when her Washington Freedom plays host to Boston tonight at RFK Stadium, the first of 15 midweek WUSA games. Hamm underwent surgery in February to repair an articular cartilage lesion in her left knee. She'd been in pain for 18 months, and her performance suffered. The decision to operate was made when offseason rest didn't help. The sixth-place Freedom (2-4-3, 9 points) should benefit from Hamm's return, although she must make strides to reach full strength. Coach Jim Gabarra said he'd give her 15-45 minutes against the Breakers. ''It'll be interesting to see if I can play 45, but I've gotten a lot stronger,'' Hamm told the Washington Post. ''It'll be like stepping onto a merry-go-round going 10 times faster than you usually go. I've been sitting and watching for so long, now jumping into a full game, I hope my head doesn't spin.'' Hamm's return also should help at the gate. Washington's home attendance (11,008 through three home games) has sagged; it has remained a top road draw, in part because clubs have advertised Hamm's presence — often to do no more than watch and sign autographs — most of the season. Hamm told the Post that the time off has been of benefit. ''I think I just needed to take a step back,'' she said. ''I'm an intense person, and I needed to learn how to relax a little bit, and this has enabled me to do it. Through the process, I haven't always made the best decisions … but [Gabarra] and the team have been supportive.''