Tennis News

After it appeared that there was a glimmer of hope that he was yet to compete, Marin Cilic officially withdrew from the Brisbane Open several days ago to deal with a shoulder injury sustained during the off-season.

Cilic revealed the news via his official twitter account:

“Very sad I had to withdraw from @BrisbaneTennis tournament. At least happy for my friend #matosevic who got in instead of me.”

The US Open champion’s untimely exit opens the doors for world No. 75 Marinko Matosevic to join the field, according to Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson.

“It’s unfortunate Marin won’t be fit to compete in Brisbane and we wish him all the best for his recovery,” he said. “Matosevic will now gain direct entry into the field, joining fellow Aussies Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic and Thanasi Kokkinakis in the men’s draw. With a strong local contingent and some of the biggest international stars all coming to Brisbane, it’s certainly shaping up to be another great tournament.”

While Cilic would have made a fantastic addition to the draw, the expected attendees this year make it one of the most anticipated Brisbane International events since its inception. In the men’s draw, the tournament features the likes of champion Lleyton Hewitt, runner-up Roger Federer, Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, Bernard Tomic and the returning Juan Martin del Potro.

The Brisbane International begins Jan. 4.

Following a nine-month absence from professional competition due to a wrist injury, Juan Martin del Potro recently announced that he would return to professional competition at the Brisbane International. However, just before the New Year, the Argentine withdrew from the Brisbane International and delayed his comeback indefinitely.

It appears del Potro is still suffering from the persistent wrist injury and is not prepared to risk an premature return.

“I love playing in Sydney. The city and the fans are great and I can’t wait to come back and defend my title,” said del Potro ahead of his withdrawal. “Last year I played some of my best tennis there and it is the perfect way to start the year. I am looking forward to being back in Sydney as it is one of my favourite cities to play. I remember there were a lot of Argentine fans who came out to support me which was amazing.”

Del Potro, who is currently ranked No. 138 but will use a protected ranking of 7 in 2015, prepared his training both on and off the court in Argentina. He has not played a match since February. He managed to win the Apia international in Sydney at the start of the season, then struggled from then on and eventually opted for surgery after failed bids in Rotterdam and Dubai. Del Potro has since recovered and begun his pre-season training.

Following a fantastic season on the professional tour, where he won the Wimbledon title, several Masters 1000 events, and the ATP World Tour Finals, Novak Djokovic has his sights on more success in 2015.

However, prior to his submergence into the new season, which will officially begin in Doha, Djokovic will head to Abu Dhabi for the Mubadala World Tennis Championships for a quick quasi-exhibition events during the New Year Celebrations. The event will feature the likes of Andy Murray and Feliciano Lopez and is a traditional event for Djokovic ahead of the new season.

Prior to that, he stopped by in Dubai beforehand to show off some Football skills at the Dubai Football Challenge between Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Dressed in a blazer and trousers, Djokovic juggled the football in front of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. The Sevens Stadium was clearly impressed with the world No. 1’s prowess off court and celebrated his impressive attempt ahead of the game.

Watch the video below.

After spending years with Adidas, British No. 1 Andy Murray has officially parted was with the sportswear giant and joined forces with apparel company Under Armour with a four-year kit deal.

The deal is believed to be valued at 15 million pounds ($23, 340,900).

“I am very honoured and excited to be joining Team Under Armour and to help them tell their story globally,” Murray is quoted as saying in an official Under Armour statement. “They are committed to providing innovative apparel, accessories, and footwear, with an unmatched focus on training and performance.”

The Scotsman is the latest addition to a roster of athletes that includes football team Tottenham Hotspur, NFL superstar Tom Brady, skier Lindsey Vonn and rising golf star Jordan Speith.

However, it appears Murray will remain with Adidas for his footwear until Under Armour complete the design for his specific footwear.

Following a particularly difficult first half of the year with little to show for it, world No. 8 Andy Murray appeared to have gotten over his injuries late in the season, after he took part in a cramped six week run on the tour that included title wins in Shenzhen, Valencia and Vienna in order to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Final.

Murray will begin his 2015 season at the Hopman Cup, where he will team up with Heather Watson to represent Great Britain. He will then head to Auckland before preparation for the Australian Open.

Following another injury-plagued season on the professional tour, it appears Rafael Nadal is looking for a more pragmatic approach to 2015.

In his latest interview, the world No. 3 explained that hi priority is to structure his schedule to benefit his health and no simply for the maximum accumulation of ranking points.

“For me it won’t be a goal in my career anymore,” Nadal told French television in an interview promoting his new tennis academy. “If I have become No. 1 because of the results I have, it’s great. But I’m not going to pursue this objective. I will follow my schedule.”

The decision is an understandable one, as Nadal was diagnosed with appendicitis during the Shanghai Rolex Masters in September and did not end his 2014 season until a quarter-final loss to 17-year-old Borna Coric in Basel. He eventually withdrew from the Paris Bercy and the ATP World Tour Finals and underwent successful surgery to rectify the problem. He also had his knees checked and underwent stem cell therapy.

December 27, 2014: The first official day of partnership and practice between world No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska and 18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova.

After announcing their partnership several weeks ago, it appears the two battle-tested competitors are ready to take 2015 by storm.

Navratilova partnership with Aga is the latest in a long line in star coaching roles over the past few years; Andy Murray sparked the trend when he hired Ivan Lendl then Amelie Mauresmo; Novak Djokovic brought Boris Becker on board; Marin Cilic partnered with Goran Ivanisevic to win his maiden Grand Slam title; Roger Federer teamed up with his idol Stefan Edberg, while Kei Nishikori joined forces with Michael Chang.

Photo available on twitter.

Navratilova won 167 WTA titles over the span of her illustrious career, 18 of which were Grand Slam singles titles and won her last Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the US Open in 2006. Her rivalry with Chris Evert goes down as one of the biggest rivalries in women’s tennis, having played each other a total of 80 times, with Navratilova leading the series 43-37.

Just a few short weeks before the start of the 2015 season, Marin Cilic is in doubt about his participation in the Brisbane International.

Although many have assumed that Cilic has withdrawn from the event officially, it appears he is actually still planning to make the trip there but is uncertain about his chances of playing after injuring his shoulder last week.

“He’s still coming as far as I know,” Tournament Director Cameron Pearson told The Australian. “Obviously there’s an element of doubt, but I spoke to his manager a little over 24 hours ago and he said we’d be the first to know if Marin couldn’t make it. “I suspect we’ll find out for sure in the next few days.”

While Cilic would have made a fantastic addition to the draw, the expected attendees this year make it one of the most anticipated Brisbane International events since its inception. In the men’s draw, the tournament features the likes of champion Lleyton Hewitt, runner-up Roger Federer, Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, Bernard Tomic and the returning Juan Martin del Potro.

“I don’t think we’d take a hit because we’ve got such a wonderful tournament this year,” Pearson said. “I’m more upset for Marin as he’s playing great tennis; he’s on top of his game. He’s the latest grand slam champion having won the US Open so this is not the way he’d want to start the season. I hope he is in good shape to travel to Australia.”

The Brisbane International begins on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Rafael Nadal’s injury-plagued season on the tour has not hindered his ability to garner some of the top sponsorships and clothing deals of any athlete in any sport. The Spaniard’s latest acquisition is a interesting new partnership with Tommy Hilfiger.

The 14-time Grand Sam champion will serve as the global brand ambassador for Hilfiger and will be featured in special underwear and Tommy Hilfiger Tailored collections starting Autumn 2015.

“Rafael Nadal has been a longtime personal friend and supporter of our brand, and I’m continuously inspired by his dedication and passion for his sport,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “This exclusive partnership brings one of the greatest athletes of this generation into our Tommy family. Rafael embodies an effortless sense of style that exemplifies and reflects our brand spirit – he’s confident, fun and cool.”

Nadal, who has represented the likes of Bacardi, Quely, and Kia in the past, was excited about the opportunity to work with the Hilfiger brand over the coming years.

“I’ve always admired Tommy Hilfiger’s cool, all-American designs which are sophisticated and easy to wear, and I’m excited to be partnering with the brand.”

Nadal is scheduled to return to competition in the Mubadala World Championhips in Abu Dhabi. It will be his first tournament since he suffered a surprising loss in Basel and was forced to undergo appendix surgery.