Tennis: Djokovic cuts Australian Open practice short over hamstring issue: reports

MELBOURNE – Nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic reportedly cut short a practice match against Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday because of a left hamstring issue, five days before the Grand Slam.

The Serb is back in Melbourne after his deportation in 2022, but required treatment and then ended the knockabout with the Russian after losing the first set.

The session at Melbourne Park was supposed to last 75 minutes but was instead curtailed after just over half an hour as a precaution, the ABC and 9News Melbourne reported.

“It’s the hamstring that I had problems with in Adelaide last week,” Djokovic said, according to 9News.

“I just felt it pulling and I didn’t want to risk anything worse. I played a set and apologised to him (Medvedev) and he was understanding.

“I just want to avoid any bigger scares before the Australian Open.”

Djokovic, who won the Adelaide crown on Sunday despite the lingering hamstring issue, is hot favourite to triumph in Melbourne once again.

One of the finest men’s tennis players of all time with 21 Grand Slam crowns, he was deported from Australia in 2022 over his stance on Covid-19 vaccines.

That divided opinion in a city that endured some of the longest lockdowns in the world at the height of the pandemic.

Australian Open spectators were also warned on Wednesday that they risk being ejected if they target the Serb, who was warmly welcomed in Adelaide last week but how he is received in Melbourne remains to be seen.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said that any fans looking to taunt Djokovic would not be tolerated.

“If they disrupt the enjoyment of anyone else – boom, they are out,” he said.

“We don’t want them on site. They can stay away or we will kick them out.”

Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova was glad to be healthy ahead of the Slam after she struggled with a wrist injury before the 2022 edition.

The 32-year-old reached the Adelaide International II quarter-finals on Wednesday after her opponent retired and was joined in the last eight by Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and Danielle Collins.

The Czech saved three set points before claiming the opening set 7-6 (8-6) against China’s Zheng Qinwen, who then retired with a left thigh injury.

It was the fourth win from four matches in 2023 for Kvitova as she prepares for the Jan 16-29 Australian Open.

“Of course this gives me some good confidence,” said the world No. 16, who will now play Daria Kasatkina after the fifth seed beat Barbora Krejcikova.

“I’m happy that my wrist is much better than this time last year. I hope I’m going to stay healthy.

“Still a few things to improve, of course, as always, but otherwise I’m happy.”

American Collins, who lost to Ashleigh Barty in the 2022 Melbourne Park final, defeated Jil Teichmann 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) to also seal a berth in the final eight.

Bencic progressed with a straight-set win (6-3, 6-3) over Anna Kalinskaya.

“I’m absolutely ready (for the Australian Open),” said the Swiss, who won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I’m really strong in the most important matches, so I definitely feel very confident about that.

“The more you win in those moments, the more it helps.”

In Melbourne, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray said he is free of pain and has no timeframe for retirement after engineering a turnaround to win his first match of the season.

The 35-year-old Scot earned a morale-boosting victory with a 2-6, 6-3, 10-2 win over China’s Zhang Zhizhen at the Kooyong Classic.

He has been dealing with major hip and abdominal injuries for half a decade, and fell ill in the off-season, but said his tennis was taking flight again.

“I’ve been healthy the last seven months. I’m not awakening with aches and pains like in the last few years,” said the former world No. 1, who is now ranked 49th.

“As long as the body holds up well, then I will keep going.”

AFP, REUTERS