Injury-plagued Kei, Murray out of Slam

Melbourne, Jan. 4: Former world number one Andy Murray and Japan’s Kei Nishikori pulled out of the Australian Open on Thursday as a host of top names battle to be fit for the year’s first Grand Slam.

Murray, 30, had failed to recover from a hip injury sustained last year and has not played since losing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last July, while Nishikori has been on the sidelines since August due to a torn tendon in his right wrist.

“Sadly I won’t be playing in Melbourne this year, as I am not yet ready to compete,” the threetime Grand Slam champion Murray said in a statement.

“I’ll be flying home shortly to assess all the options but I appreciate all the messages of support and I hope to be back playing soon.”

Murray, who earlier withdrew from the Brisbane International, did fly from Queensland to Melbourne, but only to catch a connecting flight back to Europe, the national broadcaster ABC reported.

‘Hard decision’

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said he respected what was a “very hard decision for Andy.”

The loss of the Scot, who may now opt for surgery on his hip, came with injury clouds hanging over a who’s who of stars before the Open begins on January 15

World number one Rafael Nadal and six-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic remain huge doubts having yet to play a competitive match this year.

Nadal, the reigning French Open and US Open champion, pulled out of Brisbane at the weekend with a knee injury but said he still intends to play at Melbourne Park.