MURRAY, NISHIKORI PULL OUT OF OPEN
Injury claims latest of top-flight victims as year’s first grand slam tourney nears
FORMER world No 1 Andy Murray and Japan’s Kei Nishikori pulled out of the Australian Open yesterday as a host of top names battle to be fit for the year’s first grand slam. Murray, 30, failed to recover from a hip injury sustained last year and has not played since losing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 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,” three-time grand slam champion Murray said.
“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, had flown from Queensland to Melbourne, but only to catch a connecting flight back to Europe, national broadcaster ABC reported.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said he respected what was a very hard decision for Murray.
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 No 1 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 intended to play at Melbourne Park.
Former world No 1 Djokovic has not played since a right elbow issue forced him to quit Wimbledon in the quarterfinals. He cancelled scheduled appearances in Abu Dhabi and Doha but intends to test the injury next week at two warm-up events in Melbourne before deciding whether to embark on a tilt at a record seventh Aussie title.
“Novak is travelling to Australia, where he will take part in two exhibition tournaments,” a statement on his website said.
“After the two events, the decision will be made about his participation.”
World No 8 Jack Sock joined the growing injury list when he injured his hip at the Hopman Cup in Perth on Tuesday.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka and Canada’s Milos Raonic are also returning from injuries, but intend to play in Melbourne.
On the women’s side of the draw, there are question marks over the fitness of defending champion Serena Williams, who has not played competitively since giving birth four months ago.
And British No 1 Johanna Konta, a semifinalist in Melbourne two years ago, retired from her Brisbane quarterfinal yesterday with a right hip injury and was not sure if she would defend her Sydney International title next week.
Earlier in the week, Wimbledon champion and world No 2 Garbine Muguruza was forced to retire at Brisbane with severe leg cramps, though the Spanish two-time grand slam winner accepted a wildcard yesterday to play in Sydney.
US Open champion Sloane Stephens pulled out of Brisbane before the tournament to rest a troublesome knee, but is entered for Sydney.
And upcoming French star Caroline Garcia, who enjoyed a breakthrough season last year, rising to eight in the world, retired in tears with back pain from the same event on Sunday.
Asian No 1 Nishikori, 28, said his rehab had been “going well but I am just not ready 100%”.
He made the fourth round of the Australian Open last year, losing in five sets to eventual champion Roger Federer, who at the age of 36 appears to be one of the few top names to be fully fit. – AFP