On the eve of the all-Swiss final in Indian Wells where Stan Wawrinka takes on 18 grand slam champ Roger Federer, world number one and two, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, announce that they won’t take part in Miami Masters next week.
It’s a significant loss for the tournament and the tour and will give Stan, Roger and Rafa a chance to try to chase points and catch up with the two top players in the rankings. This was Djokovic’s statement on his withdrawal, coming on the heels after his loss to Nick Kyrgios. For you who saw the match could perhaps see that Djokovic was bothered by something and not a hundred percent mentally there, but he acted professionally and didn’t make a show about it and instead allow the Aussie to notch his second win against the former world number one this year.
This is Djokovic’s statement released on his Facebook page:
I have some very disappointing news to share with you regarding the Miami Open tournament. My doctor has strongly advised against play because my elbow injury, that I keep carrying on for months, got worse in the past week. I will do everything in my power to recover and do all the necessary therapy to be able to return on court as soon as possible. Sadly, I won’t be able to defend my title in Miami this week. Believe me, it is as shocking to me, as it is to you. I had incredible run in Miami, I won there my first masters tournament and started my campaign towards the top of the world rankings. No wonder they say that in sport the biggest and most painful defeats come from injuries, and not from opponents. I am lucky that throughout my career I didn’t have many injuries, but I guess that all that I’ve been through physically in the past so many years did leave a mark on my body. I remain eternally grateful for all the love and support I receive from you. Thank you for believing in me #NoleFam
Elbow injuries is one of the most common health issues for tennis players and to further drive that statement home – it’s the exact the same injury that ails Andy Murray. This was his statement:
“Sadly, due to a right elbow injury, I won’t be playing in Miami. Apologies to the fans; it’s one of my favourite tournaments. The focus is now on getting ready for the clay season.”
A shame for most tennis fans, but a chance for other players to catch up points since both Murray and Djokovic play their best tennis on hard courts and have a particular personal affinity to the Miami Masters. We will see which players in the rankings can take advantage and wish the two champions a speedy recovery.
And for you tennis players out there, be careful with your bodies. Tennis is a lot of fun, but it is also a rather injury prone activity. Pay attention to exercise, stretching and strengthening the muscles and make sure you play with body-friendly gear – meaning a combo of racquet strings that doesn’t put unnecessary harm on your body (stiff racquets and strings are not your friend). Also, good technique is a great way to reduce the risk of injury and it’s definitely worth going to a tennis coach to work on your shots.
Now, let’s put this sad news behind us and enjoy the all-Swiss Indian Wells final between Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer.
