Clijsters confirms title defence, Del Potro pulls out
Kim Clijsters has said she will be fit in time to defend her US Open title next week despite sustaining a hip injury while playing in Montreal at the weekend. Not the same can be said of Juan Martin Del Potro, the defending men’s champion, who has been...
Kim Clijsters has said she will be fit in time to defend her US Open title next week despite sustaining a hip injury while playing in Montreal at the weekend. Not the same can be said of Juan Martin Del Potro, the defending men’s champion, who has been ruled out of the tournament because of a wrist injury.
The Belgian lost to Russia’s Vera Zvonareva in the quarter-finals in Canada and needed treatment on her left leg during the third set.
But she told Belgian media that a few days rest would see her back at full fitness in time for Flushing Meadows where she pulled off a major upset last year to win her second Grand Slam title.
“I am in no doubt over my participation in the US Open,” she said. “I will likely have some strapping on my leg but that does not mean that I will not be at full fitness.”
Del Potro has pulled out of the US Open as the Argentine has not fully recovered from a wrist injury.
“Juan Martin Del Potro has just withdrawn. It is very unfortunate. I am sure he is disappointed not to be able to defend his title but we look forward to seeing him in New York next year,” Chris Widmaier, USTA’s managing director of communications, said at the current ATP tournament in Cincinnati.
Del Potro has not played since January 24, when he lost to Croatian Marin Cilic at the Australian Open.
In May, he underwent surgery for a persistent wrist problem and only recently returned to hitting balls.