As players make their final preparations heading into Wimbledon, some of the title contenders will enter the tour with an injury cloud lurking over their head.
Andy Murray
After crashing out in the first round of the Aegon Championships to Jordan Thompson. Andy Murray has also been nursing a sore hip over the past week. The world No.1 was scheduled to play at the Hurlingham Exhibition this week, but pulled out of both matches due to the issue.
It is not the first time that his hip has troubled Murray. Nevertheless, he said on Sunday that he is fully recovered and ready to start his title defence at the tournament.
“It’s felt much better the last few days,” said Murray.
“I’ve had hip problems since I was very young. Been very sore the last few weeks.
“If I feel like I do today, I’ll be fine to play the tournament. I’ll be fine to play seven matches.”
Throughout his career, Murray has only missed Wimbledon once due to injury. In 2007 he withdrew due to a wrist injury.
Johanna Konta
A nightmare fall at the Eastbourne International sparked fears about Johanna Konta’s ability to play at the Grass-court major. During the closing stages of her match against Angelique Kerber, the Brit suffered a heavy slip on the court. Although she managed to complete the match, earning her first win over a world No.1 player, she withdrew from her following match due to a ‘thoracic spine injury.’
Returning back to practice on Sunday, the world No.7 believes she is back to full fitness after suffering the ‘traumatic fall’ earlier in the week.
“It’s much better. It was most important to just make sure that I was well enough through the chain, and my body. Definitely it was medically the right decision to not continue playing in Eastbourne, to give my body that chance to recover. It was a bit of a traumatic fall.” She said.
“I’m recovering really well. I’m taking it a day at a time. I practised today. I felt good. I’m definitely looking forward to playing my first round. Like Andy [Murray] I’d like to think that I’m fit enough to play seven matches. But I’m going to be taking it one at a time.”
Nick Kyrgios
A slip on the grass has also caused havoc for Australia’s Nick Kyrgios. At the Aegon championships he was forced to withdraw during his match after suffering an awkward fall. The impact triggered the return of his niggling hip issue, which forced him out of the Italian Open in May.
Kyrgios has played since the stumble at the Hurlingham Classic, but admitted that he was not playing at full intensity.
“It’s not great. I played a couple of matches at Boodles (exhibition) the last couple of days to see where I was at and it’s definitely not 100 percent,” he said.
“But I’m still gonna obviously feel confident on the grass.“I can serve well and still be successful but, at the same time, it’s not where I’d like my body to be.”
Kyrgios, who has been tipped as a title contender by Dominic Thiem, will start his campaign against Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Elina Svitolina
With four titles under her belt in 2017, no other player has won more singles trophies than Elina Svitolina on the WTA Tour this year. Still, her Wimbledon chances are in doubt following a foot injury. Following her loss to Camila Giorgi at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, the ukrainian said the surface was ‘bad for her foot.’
Despite the recent setback, Svitolina is maintaining a positive outlook regarding her chances at Wimbledon. She has only ever won two main draw matches at the tournament and is yet to go beyond the second round.
“I’m feeling very excited. It’s always challenging to play on grass and I will accept this challenge this year and I will do my best to prepare and be ready for everything,” Svitolina told Sport360.
Seeded fourth in the tournament, Svitolina will play Ashleigh Barty in the first round.
Gael Monfils
Gael Monfils’ run to the final of Eastbourne didn’t occur without a big scare. In the semifinals, he was forced to undergo an injury timeout after slipping on the surface. He then has his left knee taped and was seen walking gingerly after the match in his practice session.
Fortunately the knee injury is nowhere near as severe as the one which forced him out of competition for four months in 2012. In the final Monfils fell short, losing in straight sets to Novak Djokovic.
“I tried my best today. I think he played very good, returned very good. Obviously in the first set he served very good. It was very tough to handle his first serve. I had some opportunities, and he had a bit of luck and managed it very good. I think I played a tough match,” Monfils said following his loss to Djokovic.
The Frenchman will play German qualifier Daniel Brands in the first round.
