DAWN OF THE DEAD
WORLD OF SPORT Exhausted top tennis stars are at breaking point warns Stan
STAN WAWRINKA has revealed the physical and mental stress suffered by top stars as he battles to get fit for the Australian Open. Andy Murray has already pulled out of the first Grand Slam of the season after hip surgery while fellow former world No.1 Novak Djokovic is coming back from a serious elbow injury. And Wimbledon women’s champ Garbine Muguruza is a doubt for Melbourne after withdrawing from the Sydney International with a thigh injury yesterday. Three-time Grand Slam winner Wawrinka has had two knee ops since losing in the Wimbledon first round. The Swiss was scheduled to return in the Tie Break Tens exhibition tourney in Melbourne yesterday but Wawrinka said: “When we always try to get better, we push the machine to the limit. “I always knew the sport at this level was not good for the body. We know we will have problems later. “These last two years I have pushed too far for too long and the engine has often overheated. In all sports when you reach this level you wear yourself out. “But it’s mental too. I have felt exhausted these last few years. I have felt on the edge of a breakdown saying to myself, ‘I can’t do this any more’. But winning is addictive – you always want more.
“To have more, you have to push yourself more, something gives. I have the feeling that everyone is going to the cemetery!
“It’s hard to change things when I see what I’ve done in recent years – three Grand Slams and one final, that means I did things right. If I had taken more rest I would never have been so far. You do not win Grand Slams without giving everything you have.”
Djokovic has been out since Wimbledon but made his return to action yesterday in an exhibition clash with Dominic Thiem.
And after beating the Austrian 6-1 6-4 the Serb said: “I don’t want to be overconfident. I’m very happy with the way it went today.
“But I don’t want to say it’s 100 per cent. I’ll say that when I start a tournament and I actually feel that it is 100 per cent.
“I was waiting for this moment for six months to play a match. Also, I got a great opponent today ranked five in the world, it was a fantastic test for me to see where I am.
“It worked pretty well, especially the serve, which was the biggest question mark because of the elbow.
“That shot in my game was compromised prior to July when I had to stop in Wimbledon.”
While not too much should be read into the result of an exhibition clash, Djokovic looked sharp as he prepares for the start of a grand slam he has won a record six times.
The 30-year-old, who wore a compression sleeve on his right arm, admitted he would rather have had more preparation.
He said: “It’s the first time in my career I’ve had such a long break so it would be ideal if I had another tournament under my belt before coming out to Australia.
“But I haven’t had a chance. I’m going to take whatever I can.”