Injured Murray pulls out of Cincinnati
World No 1 Andy Murray will miss next week’s ATP Masters Series event in Cincinnati with a nagging hip injury that also forced him out of this week’s Montreal event.
The move brings into question Murray’s status for the US Open that starts on August 28 in New York. Even if he is able to play, it remains to be seen how well he can perform after missing the two major hard-court warm-up events for the Flushing Meadows fortnight.
“Unfortunately I won’t be playing in Cincinnati as I continue my recovery,” Murray said yesterday. “I always enjoy playing there and I look forward to returning next year.
“I’m continuing to work hard on the court with the aim of being in New York.”
The three-time major winner’s insistence that he could still play at Flushing Meadows is a good sign after initial fears his injury could rule him out for the rest of the season.
He went into the defence of his Wimbledon title last month with the injury and kept it at bay for the early rounds before visibly struggling against the big-hitting Sam Querrey in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The 30-year-old Scotsman, who has topped the rankings since November, could be overtaken this week by French Open champion Rafael Nadal if the Spaniard reaches this week’s Montreal semi-finals.
Murray is not the only player feeling the effects of a gruelling season.
Novak Djokovic, the man he deposed as No 1 last year, has already stated he will sit out the rest of the season with an elbow injury.
The 12-time major champion has endured a forgettable past year on the tennis court.
Reigning US Open champion Stan Wawrinka, too, has retired for the remainder of 2017 after deciding to undergo surgery on his left knee.
Nadal will be the top seed next week in Cincinnati no matter how he fares in Canada this week. It will be the first time since 2010 that Nadal, who won at Cincinnati in 2010, has been seeded No 1 there.
Australian Open and Wimbledon winner Roger Federer will be the second seed. He has won seven Cincinnati titles, including crowns in each of his past two appearances there in 2014 and 2015.
This marks the first year since 2009 that Nadal and Federer are the two top seeds in Cincinnati.