NOVAK SCARE
Fears over Djokovic wrist...but Andy’s OK
THE sight of Laura Robson on media duty yesterday with her wrist in a cast was a reminder of how tricky such injuries can be as Novak Djokovic pulled out of his favourite Wimbledon warm-up citing problems in the same area.
The extent of the world No 1’s discomfort remains unclear, but he withdrew from the Boodles tournament at Stoke Park as ‘a precaution’. With Wimbledon starting on Monday, it means last year’s beaten finalist will open his campaign having not had any kind of preparatory match on grass after making the final of the French Open.
The crowd at the Boodles event were told Djokovic had pulled out as ‘a precautionary measure ahead of Wimbledon next week’.
Djokovic (below) withdrew from the Madrid Open in early May due to soreness in his wrist and had a heavy schedule in playing three of the four weeks on clay after that.
While there is no suggestion he will have the same issues as Robson, the Stoke Park event has become an established part of his Wimbledon routine, so the decision to skip kip it is unlikely to have been haphazard. hazard.
Andy Murray ray will be pleased to have ave no such concerns and d after last week’s third-round ound exit at Queen’s, he yesterday esterday got in a useful exhibition match at the BNP Paribas Classic at the hurlingham Club in Fulham.
The Wimbledon don champion, with coach Amelie elie Mauresmo watching, defeated ated Spain’s Tommy Robredo edo 6-2, 7-6 and looked sharp overall, although he had to save five secondset points. ‘I feel good, my body feels better this year. It’s great to get a match and the court was very good,’ he said. ‘There was some high-quality tennis. Tommy is a great guy to play because he has great intensity.’
Murray will learn of his prospective path back to what would be a third straight final when the draw is made this morning, although the one thing he knows is that he will open proceedings on Centre Court at 1pm on Monday.
‘A lot of players have spoken about it and how much of a privilege it is, is,’ he said. ‘I’m sure there will be ner nerves and pressure but I am going go to try to enjoy it.’
Robson was an in interested onlooker, knowing that her only contribution at Wimbledon will be working on the BBC coverage. having had an operation o on her left wrist in April, she has ruled out playing until October and has her eye on a lower-tier circuit event in Barnstaple for a possible return. To try to s speed up her recovery she has turned vegan and said that seeing some of her peers, such as Garbine Muguruza and Eugenie Bouchard, make major strides in her absence will spur her on.
‘It is a bit depressing because everybody is out there enjoying themselves, hitting the ball hard and competing,’ she said. ‘But in a way it motivates you. I have something to look forward to and can work hard because I know what I want to be doing at the end of it.’
Robson conceded she had tried to come back too quickly, hindered by getting so many different diagnoses. ‘It seems amazing that you can see seven surgeons who all say different things,’ she said.
It resulted in her feeling helpless at times. She added: ‘I think a low moment for anybody coming out of surgery is when the nurse has to put your clothes on, or being unable to cut a piece of meat, although now I’m vegan that doesn’t matter.’
When she does come back it could seem like an entirely new career. ‘I’ve got four to five years of experience, so that is going to help, but I’m going to have virtually no ranking,’ she said.