Doubles shot to test sore elbow
NICK Kyrgios will take a doubles entry for a French tournament this week to test whether his suspect elbow is ready for Roland Garros.
Kyrgios has played one tournament only since a right elbow injury flared in early February at a Davis Cup tie in Brisbane and reportedly had cortisone injections last month.
The Australian has entered doubles with American friend Jack Sock at the ATP Lyon tournament, which started yesterday, and it is doubtful how long he could last in singles at the French Open with such a preparation.
The French Open starts on Sunday night (Australian time) and fast-court specialist Kyrgios’s best finish is the third round, twice.
Australian No.2 John Millman is seeded eighth in singles at Lyon, in which world No.8 Dominic Thiem, of Austria, is top seed.
Millman this month reached a career-best ranking of No.58 by making a maiden ATP final and winning a Challenger.
The 28-year-old Brisbane right-hander’s first-round match is against Argentine Nicolas Kicker.
Ash Barty and Daria Gavrilova are the top two seeds in the WTA’s Strasbourg event, which will top off player preparations for the French Open.
Barty, coming off a threeset loss to Maria Sharapova in Rome last week, will play a lucky loser, Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum in the first round.
Tennis Australia is staging its French Open women’s wildcard series in France this week, but awarded its reciprocal wildcard to Alex de Minaur.
Spain-based de Minaur has improved his ranking 21 places to No.106 since the Australian Open.