Tennis News

From around the world

Murray Undergoes Hip Surgery

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Murray Undergoes Hip Surgery

Scot hopes to return during the grass-court season

Andy Murray, the five-time Australian Open finalist who withdrew from the event last week due to a hip injury, announced on social media that he underwent successful surgery on Monday in Australia.

“Today I underwent successful right hip surgery at the St Vincent Hospital in Melbourne,” Murray wrote. “I’d like to thank Dr. John O’Donnell and all of the staff for looking after me. I look forward to returning to competitive tennis during the grass court season. Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes and support over the last few days. I’ll come back from this.”

The former World No. 1 has not played since Wimbledon, when he lost in the quarter-finals against Sam Querrey. The 30-year-old does not lack motivation to work toward a return.

“One of the things that I would like to do is play until my eldest daughter is able to watch me and have a small understanding of what it is I’ve done for my living,” Murray told reporters. “That’s one of the things that’s motivated me to keep playing. That would be cool if she can come along and watch me hit some balls or practice just to see what it is I do.”

Murray’s eldest daughter, Sophia, will be two years old in February.

“I’m not finished playing tennis yet. I’m going to be competing at the highest level again,” Murray said. “I’m very optimistic about the future — the surgeon is very happy about how it went.”

And for any concerned fans, Murray is in good spirits.

Source link

Shapovalov Ready To Soar To New Heights

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Shapovalov Ready To Soar To New Heights

Shapovalov is the highest-ranked teenager in the Top 50 

Denis Shapovalov is aiming to soar to greater heights than in 2017, a season which saw him rise up the ATP Rankings and build upon his experience at ATP World Tour events.

After a nail-biting opening-round loss to Kyle Edmund at last week’s Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, the 18-year-old has returned to the practice courts to evoke memories of his off-season training.

“I’ve worked hard in the off-season and I feel like my game’s there, so I’m ready to play these tournaments,” said Shapovalov at the ASB Classic in Auckland. “It’s always a little bit tough at the start of the year, you don’t know where your game’s at. But I’m confident in myself and I’m sure I’m going to play great.”

On Monday, in Auckland, Shapovalov played with great confidence to defeat Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 6-2 in 57 minutes. He beat the same player en route to a life-changing run in August 2017.

As the World No. 143 and wild card entry, Shapovalov saved four match points in his opening-round against Dutra Silva at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal, before he defeated Juan Martin del Potro, Rafael Nadal and Adrian Mannarino en route to the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament. Last year, his position in the ATP Rankings rocketed from No. 250 to No. 51.

“There were so many emotions that week,” says Shapovalov. “I’ll never forget those feelings of beating those top players. But I’ve moved on from that now and I’m ready to focus on this season and ready to show the world that I’ve improved.”

There is no let-up for the left-handed Canadian, who now faces his idol, del Potro, in the Auckland second round on Wednesday.

Source link

'I'm not finished' – Murray eyes summer return after hip surgery

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Britain’s Andy Murray has had hip surgery in Melbourne and says he hopes to be playing again in time for this summer’s grass-court season.

The former world number one, 30, has not played a competitive match since he was knocked out of Wimbledon in July.

The ongoing problem forced the Scot to pull out of the Australian Open, which begins on 15 January.

“I’m not finished playing tennis yet. I’m going to be competing at the highest level again,” he said.

“I’m very optimistic about the future – the surgeon is very happy about how it went.”

Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, believes if he can return to 95% of his best, that will be enough for him to compete again at the top level.

He hopes he will be hitting balls on court again after seven or eight weeks, and has been given 14 weeks as a guide for a return from this kind of surgery.

But he said he is not “interested in coming back for a specific tournament”.

“My plan is to be back playing around the grass-court season – potentially before then – but I’m certainly not going to rush anything,” he said.

“I want to know when I come back that I’m ready.”

  • Read more: Is this the beginning of the end for Murray?

‘My hip will feel better than a year ago, when I was world number one’

Murray withdrew from the US Open two days before the start of the tournament in August last year, and said he realised he was not ready to compete in Brisbane last week when he tested his hip against other top-50 players.

“I want to come back when I’m fit and ready to play, not to get into a situation like in Brisbane or New York, where I’m unsure when I turn up at a tournament how fit I am,” he said.

Murray has not played a competitive match since his Wimbledon quarter-final defeat by Sam Querrey on 12 July.

He said he first felt pain in his right hip during June’s French Open semi-final against Stan Wawrinka, though he has had issues with it throughout his career.

“The surgeon felt that my hip will be feeling better than it did a year ago,” Murray said. “Obviously, I was still doing fine a year ago – I was ranked number one in the world.

“I’m certainly not going to be putting in the same amount of tournaments and effort to try to get to number one in the world. I’ll be playing a reduced schedule, and then focusing more on trying to win major events and big tournaments rather than trying to achieve certain ranking goals.

“I’ve been fairly competitive with top-50 players in the world in Brisbane when I’m struggling to move, and I made the quarter-finals at Wimbledon when I literally couldn’t walk and was in so much pain.

“So if I can get myself to 95% of my best, I believe that’s enough to compete at the highest level. No question.

“The rest of my body feels fantastic. I feel really, really good physically apart from this one issue. The surgery allows me to extend my hip well, and I’ll be able to sprint.”

‘My daughter watching me play is motivating me’

Murray said it has been painful for him to walk since before Wimbledon. Though he has become accustomed to soreness in his hip, the pain he has had since last summer has had an impact on his day-to-day life.

It has also emerged that he had minor groin surgery on 18 December. That was successful in relieving some of the pain he had been experiencing, and was the reason for delaying his departure to Australia until after Christmas.

Should Murray’s rehabilitation goes to plan, he will have been out of action for almost a year by the time he returns.

And he says he would like to play until eldest daughter Sophia, who was born in February 2016, is able to watch him and have “a small understanding of what it is I’ve done for my living”.

“That would be cool if she can come along and watch me hit some balls or practise just to see what it is I do,” he added.

“I like watching and seeing a lot of the other kids when they are on the tour with their parents.”

Source link

Medvedev Beats Kohlschreiber In Sydney Opener

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Medvedev Beats Kohlschreiber In Sydney Opener

Fifth seed Mannarino passes first test

Russian qualifier Daniil Medvedev won 33 of his 36 first-service points and struck eight aces to overcome sixth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-3 in 69 minutes on Monday at the Sydney International. He will next face American Jared Donaldson or France’s Gilles Simon, who captured the Tata Open Maharashtra – his 13th ATP World Tour title.

Fifth-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino fought hard to beat Russian qualifier Evgeny Donskoy 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes for a second-round meeting with Lithuanian lucky loser Ricardas Berankis, who beat Australian wild card Alex Bolt 5-7, 7-5, 6-4. Bolt struck 21 aces in the one-hour and 57-minute encounter.

John Millman was strong on serve in beating fellow Autralian and 18-year-old qualifier Alexei Popyrin 7-6(4), 6-0 in 80 minutes for a second-round encounter against Luxembourg second seed and defending champion Gilles Muller.

 Watch Live On TennisTV

 Watch Full Match Replays

Top Doubles Seeds Advance To QFs; Spanish Team Fall
Top seed Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo defeated new team Florin Mergea and Nenad Zimonjic 7-6(6), 6-3 in 89 minutes, while 2015 finalists and second seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau knocked out Paolo Lorenzi and Mischa Zverev 7-6(3), 6-4. Australian wild cards Alex Bolt and Jordan Thompson beat third seeds Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez 6-1, 6-3 in 56 minutes.

View Tuesday Schedule: Fognini, Zverev & Simon In Action

Source link

Two-time champion Azarenka withdraws from Australian Open

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from the Australian Open because of the ongoing custody battle over her 11-month-old son.

Azarenka cannot leave California with Leo until the dispute is resolved.

The former world number one, 28, has not played since Wimbledon last year and will be replaced in Melbourne by Australian wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic.

The Belarusian joins Andy Murray and Serena Williams in withdrawing from 2018’s opening Grand Slam.

  • Kyle Edmund out of Auckland Open with injury
  • Heather Watson through at Hobart International

Tournament organisers announced in December she would be given a wildcard entry despite being ranked 201 in the world as a result of her lack of tournament play.

But Australian Open director Craig Tiley said on Monday: “It’s unfortunate ‘Vika’ is unable to travel to Australia this year. The Australian Open is her favourite tournament and she’s looking forward to returning to Melbourne next year.”

Former champions Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic also remain doubts for the tournament.

Source link

Simon Soars In ATP Rankings, Mover Of The Week

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Simon Soars In ATP Rankings, Mover Of The Week

ATPWorldTour.com looks at the top Movers of the Week in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings, as of Monday, 8 January 2018

No. 57 Gilles Simon, +32
The 33-year-old Frenchman got off to a strong start in 2018 with his first ATP World Tour title for almost three years (2015 Open 13 Marseille) after he defeated Kevin Anderson 7-6(4), 6-2 at he Tata Open Maharashtra. Simon, who started the week at No. 89 in the ATP Rankings, finished last year outside of the Top 50 for the first time since 2005. His 32-place rise to No. 57 was the biggest jump in the Top 100. Anderson, up three spots to No. 11, is back at his highest position since 19 October 2015 (No. 11). More & Watch Highlights

No. 17 Nick Kyrgios, +4
The 22-year-old Australian returned to his highest position in the ATP Rankings since 28 August 2017 after he lifted his fourth ATP World Tour title – and his first on home soil – at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp. Kyrgios rose four spots after he defeated American Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-2 in 73 minutes. Now 4-3 in ATP World Tour finals, it was Kyrgios’ first trophy since October 2016 at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships (d. Goffin). More & Watch Highlights

No. 39 Gael Monfils, +7
The French wild card captured his seventh ATP World Tour title at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, with a 6-2, 6-3 win over #NextGenATP Russian Andrey Rublev in 61 minutes. The 31-year-old, who is returning following a four-month absence due to a right knee injury, returns to the Top 40 for the first time since 2 October 2017 (No. 35) and is now 7-20 in ATP World Tour finals. The Doha crown marks Monfils’ first title since July 2016 at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. (d. Karlovic). He had previously finished as the Doha runner-up in 2006 (l. to Federer), 2012 (l. to Tsonga) and 2014 (l. to Nadal). Rublev, last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up, rose seven position to a career-high No. 32 in the ATP Rankings. More & Watch Highlights

View Emirates ATP Rankings

Other Notable Top 100 Movers This Week
No. 56 Guido Pella, +8
No. 68 Mikhail Kukushkin, +6
No. 73 Pierre-Hugues Herbert, +8
No. 80 Stefanos Tsitsipas, +11
No. 92 Taylor Fritz, +12

Source link

Edmund out of Auckland Open with ankle injury

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

British number two Kyle Edmund has pulled out of the Auckland Open because of an ankle strain, a week before the start of the Australian Open.

The 22-year-old had been due to play Chung Hyeon of South Korea on Tuesday.

Edmund hurt his right ankle during the deciding set of his quarter-final defeat by Grigor Dimitrov at last week’s Brisbane International.

He will continue to have the injury assessed before the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.

With Andy Murray having pulled out because of a hip injury, Edmund would be the highest-ranked Briton in the men’s singles should he play.

The world number 50 said after his loss to Dimitrov that he expected his ankle would be sore for a few days but he would be “fine” for Melbourne.

American Tennys Sandgren has replaced him in the Auckland Open.

Meanwhile, Edmund’s compatriot Heather Watson reached the second round of the Hobart International with a 7-5 6-3 win over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

Source link

Hobart International: Heather Watson through to second round

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Britain’s Heather Watson reached the second round of the Hobart International with a 7-5 6-3 win over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

The 25-year-old, who won the tournament in 2015, edged the first set after number three seed Cirstea repelled eight set points, before making easier work of the second to wrap up victory.

The British number two will next face Australian Jaimee Fourlis.

Watson lost in the first round of the Brisbane International last week.

Meanwhile, compatriot Kyle Edmund has pulled out of the Auckland Open because of an ankle strain, a week before the start of the Australian Open.

Source link

Four-Time Champ Ferrer Opens Auckland Quest

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2018

Four-Time Champ Ferrer Opens Auckland Quest

Spaniard joins 2017 finalist Joao Sousa in second round

David Ferrer opened his bid for an unprecedented fifth title at the ASB Classic, battling past Chinese teen Wu Yibing 7-6(7), 6-4 on Monday.

The Spanish veteran prevailed after a gritty encounter, opening his 2018 ATP World Tour campaign with his 718th match victory. Ferrer is looking to carry the momentum from a strong second half of 2017, as he eyes another successful week at one of his favourite tournaments. He lifted the Auckland trophy in 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2013. 

Victory over the Chinese #NextGenATP star wasn’t as straightforward as the 35-year-old had hoped. Yibing saved nine of 12 break points faced and secured a critical break of his own when Ferrer served for the match at 5-3 in the second set. But the Spaniard’s experience would prove decisive, closing out the win in exactly two hours.

You May Also Like: 20 Things To Watch In Auckland & Sydney

Ferrer will next face 2017 finalist Joao Sousa for the third time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series (tied 1-1). Sousa rallied past Donald Young 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-2 to open Monday’s action, prevailing after two hours and three minutes. The Portuguese No. 1 finished runner-up to Jack Sock last year.

Also on Day One, Yuichi Suigta faces Karen Khachanov and 2016 titlist Roberto Bautista Agut clashes with wild card Michael Venus. Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, the Star of Tomorrow presented by Emirates, caps off proceedings against qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva.

Source link