A back problem which resurfaced during training has forced Tim Henman to pull out of next week’s $550 000 Thailand Open, the British number one confirmed on his website.
Henman had been due to make his first appearance on court since losing in the first round of the US Open last month to Fernando Vedasco of Spain, a match where he suffered with a stiff back.
Roger Federer heads the field in Bangkok as he defends the title he won last year. Australians Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis have been given wild card entries.
Henman, who has struggled with back pain over the past year, said he hopes to play next week in Tokyo.
”I’m bitterly disappointed,” said the 31-year-old. ”I’d eased back into it and I was playing and training hard and then suddenly I suffered an adverse reaction on Tuesday and my back stiffened up completely.
”This has happened occasionally in the past and the frustrating thing is that I don’t really get any indication when it might happen.”
Henmn said his return to tennis would now have to be postponed, hopefully for just a week.
”I was all set to travel out to Thailand and I was really looking forward to competing again with a clean bill of health,” he said.
The player who is sorely missed this weekend in Geneva with Britain trailing Switzerland in a Davis Cup payoff match, said that without his fitness he would not have stood a chance at the hardcourt tournament at the Impact arena.
”It’s tough enough trying to compete at the highest level when fully fit and it’s almost impossible to do so when impaired.”
”I haven’t pulled out of Tokyo, I’d love to get out there to play if I can.”
Federer is due to fly to Thailand after the Davis Cup. – AFP
