In his column for the BBC, Andy Murray says his quick recovery from a hip injury that bothered him before Wimbledon may be down to sitting in an ice bath twice a day, once after playing and once just before bed.
“It might not be everyone's ideal preparation for a good night's sleep, but fortunately I've got used to plunging myself into ice-cold water over the years and I don't mind it, I'm OK,” said the Scot, who easily advanced to the second round on Monday. In case you're wondering, Murray usually sits in the bath for 8-10 minutes each time.
The German press focuses on Tommy Haas, 39, who will retire from tennis at the end of the season. Although he lost in the first round to Belgium’s Ruben Bemelmans, the 2009 Wimbledon semi-finalist tells the Rheinische Post he will spend a few more days in SW19 with his family before going home. “It was a privilege to have played some big matches against the big names on Centre Court,” said Haas. “It was a childhood dream.”
Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad reports that former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters will be working with her compatriot Yanina Wickmayer during Wimbledon. “We got talking after Roland Garros and Kim told me, if I needed her help, I could count on her,” said Wickmayer, who has never gone beyond the last 16 in nine visits to the All England Club. “Kim isn’t my new coach, but she will guide me with her experience. She’s doing it as a favour to a friend.”
After Novak Djokovic's lacklustre loss to Dominic Thiem in the quarter-final of the French Open, former world No. 1 Mats Wilander was one of a few tennis experts to suggest the former top-ranked Serb needed a break. But Djokovic’s new coach, Andre Agassi, has ruled it out. “What’s really beneficial is being clear,” the American told Reuters news agency. “A break isn’t beneficial if you’re not giving yourself a break because you know you want to be doing something else. Playing isn’t beneficial when you’re spent and you feel like you need a break and your team’s pushing you to play. So does he need a break? No, I think he’s ready and he has clear objectives.”
Djokovic may not need a break but according to Australian legend John Newcombe, Nick Kyrgios definitely does. The world No. 20 retired yesterday with a chronic hip injury as he trailed France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert by two sets to love. “Maybe this is a warning sign for Nick,” Newcombe told Australia’s Channel Seven. “There’s been a number of niggling injuries over the years and I don’t know exactly but I have heard reports that he’s not as fit as he should be,” said Newcombe, a three-time Wimbledon winner. “That just takes discipline. You can find people to get yourself really fit, I think Nick needs to do it.”
Swiss newspapers focus on the shock first-round loss of French Open finalist Stan Wawrinka to Daniil Medvedev. Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam winner, struggled with a knee injury during his defeat to the young Russian. He told RTS Sport: “I will only return to the court if I have the assurance that I will be 100 per cent.”
