Maddinson should get another chance: Starc
MUMBAI: Roger Federer believes his six-month absence due to a knee injury could help prolong his playing career, with the 17-times grand slam winner saying he has enjoyed the break.
The 35-year-old Swiss had surgery on his left knee in February and, after missing the French Open with a back injury, announced in July that he needed extensive rehabilitation and would be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Federer returns to action at the Hopman Cup, starting on January 1, which he will play in for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002. He will partner compatriot Belinda Bencic, 19, at the international team tournament in Perth.
Federer said it was a tough call to take a six-month break and he looked at the bigger picture before deciding.
“I do believe that it could be very beneficial for the future of my tennis career,” he told reporters on a conference call.
“To have had this six-month layoff, rejuvenated, refreshed... maybe mentally I needed this rest more than I thought I would. Maybe my body needed a rest more than I thought it would. I tried to look at the big picture, I hope it’s going to pay off.
“At least one thing I know now is I have no regrets. I MELBOURNE: Nic Maddinson has struggled in his first two tests for Australia but New South Wales team-mate Mitchell Starc said on Friday the batsman should get another chance to prove himself in the Boxing Day test against Pakistan.
Maddinson was out of a duck on debut against South Africa at Adelaide before scoring one and four runs against Pakistan at Brisbane.
The left-handed lower-order batsman could face the axe after selectors brought uncapped all-rounder Hilton Cartwright into the 13-man squad for the Melbourne test.
“I definitely think Maddo should get another chance,” Starc said. “In the end, it’s up to the selectors but I think continued cricket, definitely at this level, can only help him.
“It’d be a great opportunity for him on Boxing Day after we’ve had a couple of good wins as a unit as well (and) it’d be nice to stick together.”
Starc said continuity would help did everything this year to get my body back in shape. It didn’t feel too gruelling, too long, too hard to go through this process. I have actually enjoyed it.” UNIQUE YEAR For much of his career, the former world number one had been blessed with a body that seemed bullet-proof against the aches, pains and injuries suffered by most top athletes.
Until May this year, Federer had appeared in 65 successive grand slam tournaments and the last time he was absent from one of the four majors was at the 1999 Maddinson, who turned 25 on Wednesday, improve at test level.
“There were some times where I was backed more and given more of a chance, and (with) a longer run of cricket, I guess US Open.
But his semifinal defeat by Canadian Milos Raonic at Wimbledon, which saw him drop to 16 in the world rankings, was his last professional match this year.
Federer said his goal was to get fully fit and he was looking forward to a few matches in Perth before the year’s first grand slam starts later in the month in Melbourne.
“This year is unique because maybe this is the year more than any time before where I do need matches at the beginning of the season,” Federer said, adding that he was doing everything possible to add more majors to his trophy cabinet.
“Matches have a different intensity about it and your body reacts according to it.”
Federer said he had expected Andy Murray to be world number one at some point but was surprised the Briton finished the year at the top of the rankings ahead of Serb Novak Djokovic.
“That just gives even more credit to Andy for not becoming world number one but finishing world number one,” he said. “Those are two separate things.
“Becoming world number one for a week or finishing a year as world number one, it’s a different animal.”
— Reuters my performances started to pick up and I got that consistency in my game,” the fast bowler added.
Australia lead the series 1-0 going into Monday’s test and Starc said he was itching to get started. Four years ago he was rested ested for the Boxing Day test at the MCG against Sri Lanka in a bid to manage his workload.
Starc, who required surgery on a deep leg wound after a freak training accident in September, said his body was holding up well and that he was still bowling at a good pace late into the day-night fixture at Brisbane.
“I think the last ball I bowled in that test match, which was in the 56th over, was 149 clicks (kmph) so (there’s) no issues on my end,” Starc said.
“You’d have to ask the other quicks if they’re any different, but I think the Boxing Day test just gets everyone up and ready to go.
“From what I’ve seen around the guys the last day-and-a-half, everyone’s feeling pretty good (and) recovered really well... there’s no reason why anyone would be missing out through injury or rest, as far as I know.”
The former world number one returns to action at the Hopman Cup starting on January 1, which he will play in for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002. He will partner compatriot Belinda Bencic, 19, at the international team tournament in Perth
LONDON: Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori is to join the coaching staff at Middlesex in 2017, the English county champions announced on Friday.
The 37-year-old, who played 442 matches for New Zealand over all three formats before retiring last year, has signed a three-year contract with the county which will see him become head coach for the NatWest T20 Blast campaign.
Vettori is currently the head coach of Brisbane Heat in Australia’s Big Bash League, while he holds the same position with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to be involved with Middlesex in their pursuit of a T20 title,” Vettori said.
“There is talent and experience in all facets of their game and I look forward to complementing their skills and all the fantastic work the current coaching staff has done.”
Middlesex have reached the Twenty20 final only once, winning in 2008. They claimed the county championship this year for the first time since 1993.