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Reuters: World number two Garbine Muguruza’s wretched run of injury problems at the Brisbane International extended to a fourth consecutive year on Tuesday when the Spaniard succumbed to leg cramps in the third set of her opening match.
The top seed started well in her second round encounter against unseeded Serbian Aleksandra Krunic, converting her seventh set point in a marathon 12th game to claim the opener before roaring to a 5-2 lead in the second.
The reigning Wimbledon champion was coasting but the 53rd-ranked Krunic mounted a stirring fight back and reeled off four of the next five games to force a tiebreak, which she claimed by a 7-3 margin to send the contest into a deciding set.
Muguruza regrouped to break the Serb in the first game of the third and was serving at 2-1 up before she collapsed on the baseline and retired immediately when she was helped off the court to receive treatment for cramping in both legs.
The early exit cost Muguruza a chance to replace Romania’s Simona Halep at the top of the world rankings ahead of the Australian Open later this month but the Spaniard’s immediate concern will be to get fit for the first grand slam of the year.
“I cramp very few times, but I do remember that the last time I cramped up was actually (at the Australian Open) in Melbourne. Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s the conditions. I don’t know, but it’s rare for me,” Muguruza told reporters.
Muguruza’s run of injury woes in the tournament dates back to 2015 when she withdrew on the eve of the event with an ankle problem, before a left foot injury ended her 2016 campaign and a right thigh problem led to her semi-final retirement last year.
The Spaniard admitted that the cramping started early in the second set but she was otherwise happy with her performance and the general quality of the match despite being unable to continue through the pain.
“I’m pleased because we were playing very good points and good rallies. She was playing very good,” the 24-year-old added.
Krunic, meanwhile, advances to a quarter-final meeting with either Romania’s Sorana Cirstea or Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova but was disappointed with the manner of her victory over Muguruza.
“I’m not happy with what happened today and I want to wish Garbine a fast recovery. I hope she gets better for the slam,” she said in a courtside interview.
(Reuters) - Former world number one Andy Murray’s lingering hip issues forced him to withdraw from the Brisbane International on Tuesday with the Briton admitting he was unsure whether he could recover in time for the Australian Open later this month.
Murray has not played a competitive match since a Wimbledon quarter-final loss last July due to the complaint and despite coming through a one-set exhibition in Abu Dhabi last week, he was unable to train on Tuesday and announced his withdrawal.
“I‘m very disappointed to be withdrawing from the Brisbane International,” Murray, seeded second in Brisbane, told tournament organisers before going into further detail of his predicament in an emotional post on social media.
“Having been recommended to treat my hip conservatively since the U.S. Open, I have done everything asked of me from a rehab perspective and worked extremely hard to try get back on the court competing,” Murray said on his Instagram account.
”Having played practice sets here in Brisbane with some top players unfortunately this hasn’t worked yet to get me to the level I would like so I have to reassess my options. Continuing rehab is one option and giving my hip more time to recover.
“Surgery is also an option but the chances of a successful outcome are not as high as I would like which has made this my secondary option and my hope has been to avoid that. However, this is something I may have to consider but let’s hope not.”
The world number 16 had been due to play his first tournament match of the season on Thursday with a second-round encounter against American Ryan Harrison at Pat Rafter Arena. He will be replaced by German lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann.
Murray, who said on Sunday that he planned to trim his schedule in 2018 to prevent a recurrence of his injury issues, will remain in Brisbane for the rest of the week before planning his next move.
Murray’s latest injury setback will also come as a blow to Australian Open organisers ahead of the year’s first major in Melbourne starting on Jan. 15, along with those of fellow “Big Four” members Rafael Nadal (back) and Novak Djokovic (elbow).
