Injury and surprise losses have thrown open the Australian Open
Dan Rookwood
The big players are dropping in Melbourne like winter wasps and though the year has only just begun, several key contenders have pulled out of the Australian Open with injuries.
Andre Agassi and Serena Williams fell victim to respective wrist and ankle problems before they even stepped on court. Both were hurt during tune-ups after Christmas.
Lindsay Davenport didn’t make it because of a knee problem. Mary Pierce, the 1995 Australian Open and 2000 French Open titleholder, pulled out of her opening match with an abdominal strain.
Venus Williams, the Wimbledon and United States Open champion, limped through her 6-3 6-4 second-round win over Kristina Brandi, but said her father and coach, Richard, probably wouldn’t have let her play on a dodgy knee if he’d travelled with her.
Meanwhile, three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten was distracted by a hip injury when he lost to France’s Julien Boutter on Monday, while fifth seed Sebastien Grosjean was treated for a neck problem during his second-round loss to Francisco Clavet on Wednesday.
Other contenders with injuries are defending champion Jennifer Capriati (hip), Kim Clijsters (arm), Amelie Mauresmo (neck and shoulder), Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic (chronic shoulder complaint) and Andy Roddick (ankle).
That’s a lot of talent covered in bandages. But why has it happened? And why so early in the season?
Australia’s Mark Philippoussis, beaten by Greg Rusedski, blames the Melbourne surface, which he believes is too tough on the body.
“It’s sticky. You are running from side to side. I think your shoes actually just stick into the court that little bit longer,” he said after his defeat. “You feel that in your joints, your lower back and your legs. It’s a tough court to play on.”
Four-time Australian Open champion Monica Seles believes that it’s recent changes to the game that have precipitated a proliferation of injuries. “The young ones definitely have to take good care of themselves if they want to stay long enough in the game,” said Seles (28).
Pam Shriver, however, believes that injuries will be unavoidable as a result of the greater pace generated by today’s big hitters, and a need to move around the court faster as a result.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov was at a loss to explain why he was out. The 27-year-old Russian crashed in straight sets to Alex Kim, an American qualifier ranked only 234th in the world and playing only his second Grand Slam.
The fourth seed said: “I had no energy at all. I have not felt that bad on court maybe ever. It was like somebody was playing instead of me. I was told he was a good baseliner and I was prepared for a difficult match, so I don’t understand why I had such a bad performance.”
Britain’s Tim Henman now remains as the tournament’s top seed.