Top tennis stars faces fitness battle prior to the US Open (Part Two) – Tennis Special
Here are some more big names in tennis who are suffering with injuries and are in doubt for the US Open, a major hard court tournament held in the end of this month.
Victoria Azarenka:
The world number one, Azarenka enjoyed a successful week at Games of x*x Olympiad in Wimbledon. She became the first tennis player of Belarus to grab a medal. The Belarusian made a final four berth at the Wimbledon Championships
before crashing out to Serena Williams in semis at Olympics. However, she outfoxed Russia’s Maria Kirilenko in straight sets to lift the bronze medal. Mustering her performance further, the Belarusian won gold medal in the mixed doubles event with Max Mirnyi.
Azarenka high-spiritedly entered the Rogers Cup the following week. However, due to the hectic schedule of women’s tennis, the Belarusian suffered a knee injury during her opening match against Tamira Paszek. As a result, she not
only retired from Montreal but also pulled out from the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.
The ecstatic Belarusian told reporters.
"The last week took so much energy out of me that I had absolutely no time to recover, and my body is feeling it. It was a little bit too quick of a transition for me to come and start the training,
and I felt my knee just wasn't in good shape.”
The 23-year-old is hoping that her injury is short-term so she can be part of the US Open line-up.
Andy Murray:
Another top tennis star with a knee injury is the British number one, Murray, who grabbed the gold medal at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club earlier this month. Murray has returned to action at the Cincinnati Masters
event but has not fully recovered for the US Open, last of the four Grand Slam events taking place in Corona Park in Queens, New York City. He suffered a knee injury at the Rogers Cup and withdrew from the event.
The Olympic Champion enjoyed his career best moment after capturing the gold medal at London Olympics 2012 which were held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. He entered Olympics after making a final showdown at the
Wimbledon Championships and displayed top notch performance to grab the medal (eased past top seeded Roger Federer with a breadstick in the title-round).
The following week, Murray entered the Rexall Centre where he was the second seed. He slaughtered the Italian qualifier, Flavio Cipolla with a breadstick in one hour and 22 minutes through exquisite groundstrokes from his arsenal
of skills. However, after sealing the deal, the Brit was forced to withdraw from the Rogers Cup due to the knee injury.
Murray had set up a clash against the home favourite, Milos Raonic, before retiring from this Emirates Airline US Open Series event held in Toronto.
Ranked fourth in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Murray had treatment by physios after the match and the following day. He commented afterwards:
“I had some treatment after the match. I don’t want to go full out and possibly do any more damage. That was why I decided not to play.”
The 25-year-old has returned at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati but is not fully recovered. He will not be at his best at the Flushing Meadows. Murray stated after retiring from Rogers Cup:
“Over next few days... plan for the best way to prepare for the US Open. But today I won’t think about any strategies or whatever.”
The Scot is bidding for his first Grand Slam at the US Open and is eyeing to recover 100 per cent before the tournament starts.
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