Fitness comes first for returning Murray, Djokovic ahead of 2018
Former world number ones Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are relishing their return to competition after serious injuries cut their last campaigns short, but the overriding aim for both players in the New Year is to stay fit and healthy.
Murray, who has struggled with a persistent hip injury since his quarterfinal exit at Wimbledon in July, pulled out of the US Open and dropped to 16th in the world rankings.
The 30-year-old is scheduled to participate in the Brisbane International which starts on Sunday as he gears up for the Australian Open, but a season blighted by injury has changed the double Wimbledon champion’s outlook.
“When I was fit and healthy last year (2016), you think about winning all the major events, getting to number one and winning every competition that you are in and that is what drives you,” Murray told Sky Sports.
“When you miss four or five months and there has been a bit of uncertainty about my hip (that changes). The goals change and I remember now how much I loved playing tennis – it isn’t about winning every match I play in the future or winning more slams.
“I want to get back to playing tennis, I want to be fit and healthy and that is what is driving me just now... I was pretty unhealthy for most of this year and I am getting there but it is a slow process.”
Djokovic suffered a yearlong dip in form before an elbow injury forced him to retire in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The Serb has not played competitively since and underwent surgery.
“It’s been a real roller-coaster ride for me for a year and a half with this issue,” world number 12 Djokovic told Sport360 in an interview ahead of his return at the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.
“I’ve never had surgery in my life, I’ve never had any major injuries that kept me away from the tour for such a long time... I’ve learned a lesson because I really want to avoid getting to that stage of an injury ever in my career after this.
“I can’t wait to get back on the competition level but it was a great experience for me to have. And it was a somewhat necessary experience because I got maybe too comfortable with not having major injuries.”
Meanwhile, world number one Rafa Nadal’s preparations for next month’s Australian Open have suffered a blow after he was a late withdrawal from the Brisbane International tournament on Thursday.
The 31-year-old Spaniard has not played since he withdrew from the season-ending World Tour Finals in London in November with a knee injury. He had already withdrawn from an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi that starts later on Thursday.
“I am sorry to announce I won’t be coming to Brisbane this year,” Nadal said on his Twitter account.
“My intention was to play but I am still not ready after last year’s long season and the late start of my preparation.”
Nadal, who also canceled a training block last week, returned from injury last year to reach the final of the Australian Open and win the titles at the French and US Opens.
He played in Brisbane last year as part of his preparations for Melbourne Park and made the quarterfinals before losing to Canada’s Milos Raonic.
“I had a great time there [in 2017] and it was a great start to the month I spent in Australia,” Nadal added.
“I will be seeing my Aussie fans when I land on the 4th in Melbourne and start there my preparation for the Australian Open.”
Like Nadal, Roger Federer also did not know what to expect when he touched down in Australia in 2017.
The then 17-times grand slam champion was 35 and coming back from a first surgery-enforced absence to the sport he dominated for more than a decade from his maiden Wimbledon title in 2003.
The six months off, however, appeared to be positively cathartic as he provided arguably the major talking point of the tennis circuit by reviving a career that pundits thought could be over with the injury.
He beat Nadal in an epic final to win his fifth Australian Open crown and then clinched his eighth on the grass courts of southwest London to finish the year with seven titles and the world number two ranking.
However, Federer, who begins his 2018 campaign at the combined teams Hopman Cup tournament in Perth, recognizes that while expectations this year might be a little higher, he is trying to ensure they don’t get out of control.
“Expectations are higher but at the same time I try to remind myself just don’t think its normal and realistic to aim for the same things I did in 2017,” he told reporters after he arrived in Australia.
“I’ve got to try and keep it cool. Try my best and see what happens but the preparation has been good so far. “We’ll see how things go.” Federer previously used the Kooyong invitational tournament to warm up for the Australian Open but returned to the Hopman Cup last year to team up with compatriot Belinda Bencic, where the pair finished second in their group.
“Obviously looking ahead to Melbourne, I really hope the Hopman Cup is going to give me everything I need here,” Federer said of starting the season in Perth, where he and his 20-year-old partner will face Japan, Russia and the US in group play.
“It worked out perfectly this year, [winning] at the Australian Open.
“Of course, that’s a good omen.”