Konta hopes Murray recovers in time for grass-court season
LONDON:Johanna I can really just feel for him. I can’t imagine how sad he (Andy Murray) must be to be away from the game which he loves so much.
Konta hopes fellow Briton Andy Murray will be in action at this year’s Wimbledon despite media reports claiming that the Scot has suffered a setback in his recovery from hip surgery. British media reports said former world number one Murray’s participation in Wimbledon had been thrown into doubt after hi recovery from the surgery had stalled.
Murray, 30, has not played a competitive match since losing to Sam Querrey in the Wimbledon quarter-finals last July and had an operation on the hip at the start of the year after rest and recuperation failed to resolve the issue.
“I still hope he can (come back as planned),” Konta told reporters after losing to Bernarda Pera in the second round of the Madrid Open.
“Obviously he needs to do what’s best for the longevity of his career. I can really just feel for him. I can’t imagine how sad he must be to be away from the game which he loves so much.”
Three-times grand slam winner Murray is scheduled to play in the June grass-court tournament in Rosmalen in the Netherlands as well as at Queen’s Club as a warm-up to Wimbledon.
“He must be doing everything that he can to come back fitter and stronger and be playing for a long time so if he’s not around through that period he will be sorely missed. Hopefully he gets better soon,” Konta added.
HALEP BEATS MERTENS
Reigning champion Simona Halep edged closer to a third consecutive Madrid Open title by beating Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the second round here.
Halep, the winner here in 2016 and 2017, was made to work harder in the second set on Manolo Santana but the world number one’s 6-0, 6-3 victory on Tuesday was never in doubt.
Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic will now await Halep in the last 16 as the Romanian continues to prepare for the French Open, where she has twice gone the distance only to finish runner-up.
Halep won the first eight games in a row to lead 6-0 2-0, with her clay-court counter-attacking too strong for the 22-year-old Mertens to handle.
Mertens offered some late resistance as her opponent’s concentration wavered, but a double fault confirmed Halep’s victory in a brief one hour and 11 minutes.
“I think I played well again,” Halep said. “It is the second match of the tournament. I have a great feeling.”
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