Del Potro, Soderling, Sharapova Withdraw From Tournaments

by Sean Randall | April 8th, 2010, 12:51 pm
  • 25 Comments

The top players just can’t seem to get healthy these days and there just seems to be no end in sight to the rash of injuries this year. Juan Martin Del Potro, who’s been battling a wrist injury all year and Robin Soderling (knee) have both withdrawn from next week’s Monte Carlo Tennis Masters. ADHEREL

“I’ve had some problems with my knee since the Miami tournament,” Soderling wrote on his website. “The pain has just escalated the more tennis I’ve played. My doctor has now examined my knee, and I’ve made a decision of not playing next week’s tournament in Monte Carlo.

“This is very sad since Monte Carlo is my ‘home tournament’ and one of my favorite tournaments of the year. But now awaits one week of rest and rehabilitation, and I will hopefully be back to compete in the Barcelona tournament that starts the 19th of April.”


If Soderling does return in Barcelona, he won’t be joined by US Open champion Del Potro who has also withdrawn from the event in Spain.

Nikolay Davydenko is also out with a wrist injury and Rafael Nadal is still dealing with wisdom teeth and his problematic knees. Nadal is expected to arrive in Monte Carlo tomorrow.

The men aren’t the only ones injured. Serena Williams (knee), Dinara Safina (back) and Maria Sharapova have also been ailing.

Sharapova has just withdrawn from Charleston next week because of that right elbow.

“I was looking forward to coming back to Charleston this year, as I always enjoy playing in front of the energetic fans and strolling around the town,” said Sharapova. “Unfortunately my elbow injury is not completely healed so I won’t be able to compete in this year’s Family Circle Cup. I look forward to returning next year and seeing all my fans in South Carolina.”

It’s disturbing to see that only a quarter into the 2010 tennis schedule we have so many top players injured.


You Might Like:
Kim Clijsters, Sam Querrey Withdraw From Wimbledon
Robin Soderling Announces He Will Miss Australian Open
Nadal, Roddick Murray in Same Half at Wimbledon
Maria Sharapova Won’t Have To Play Serena Williams Again Because She Has Withdrawn From The US Open
2-Time Champion Maria Sharapova Withdraws From Indian Wells

Don't miss any tennis action, stay connected with Tennis-X

Get the FREE TX daily newsletter

25 Comments for Del Potro, Soderling, Sharapova Withdraw From Tournaments

Ben Pronin Says:

The thing is, 2010 started with a bunch of injuries, they’re just continuing now. What the hell happened to Del Potro’s wrist that it’s been affecting him for 4 months now? At least we know Davydenko’s is broken. And now Soderling and knee problems? What the hell are these guys doing?


Sean Randall Says:

Wrist injuries in tennis are… bad bad bad!

Knees are bad. Shoulders are bad. Backs are bad.

What isn’t bad? Wisdom teeth? Turned ankle? Chest infection? Allergies?

Don’t know what to say, Ben, it’s the Year of the Injury on both tours. The last man/woman standing will likely be limping at this stage.


Dave B Says:

The game has become incredibly more intense and technology driven. It has lost a lot in exchange for the power these guys and girls have to muster to play the game. No wonder there are more debilitating injuries. Federer seems to play with a great deal more subtlety and grace than the others.


Ben Pronin Says:

The technology allows for players to produce immense power with minimal effort. Hitting the ball harder isn’t the cause of injuries.


jane Says:

“What the hell happened to Del Potro’s wrist that it’s been affecting him for 4 months now? ”

Wasn’t he injured or something during the post-USO season? He didn’t play Cincy due to fatigue, and then when he went to the hardcourt swing in the east, he lost early, then he retired against Stepanek, was it in Paris? He played well at the YEC to get to the finals, but other than there and of course his spectacular win at the USO, he really hasn’t been at his best since last summer. Maybe that was all post-win letdown. But like you Ben I can’t remember precisely when/where/how he injured his wrist.


blank Says:

What if we include all the top players that are injured mentally…or have some kind of a mind block? Then I think everybody is in. LOL


Polo Says:

Sean Randall Says:
“Wrist injuries in tennis are… bad bad bad!
Knees are bad. Shoulders are bad. Backs are bad.
What isn’t bad? Wisdom teeth? Turned ankle? Chest infection? Allergies?”

How could you forget mono?


Fot Says:

Polo, he covered Roger with the “chest infection”! lol!

Sadly though to hear about all these injuries. I thought tennis was a non-contact sport? lol!

Anyway, hope they all recover soon.


Kimmi Says:

more from Delpotro injury
____________________________________________
Argentine tennis player Juan Martin del Potro will follow down with tendinitis in his right wrist and will stay away from the circuit in the coming weeks. He will miss next week’s Monte Carlo, the third Masters 1000 ATP World Tour and first of the year on clay, and the Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell, next week, according to the newspaper La Nacion. ”

According to newspaper reports, the player had his wrist checked in the U.S. by specialist Richard Berger, one of the most renowned in the world in biomechanics and nerves in the hand and wrist, which revealed that he still suffers from “a small residual tendinitis.” So be aware that this year will be used to recover and settle in the elite of world tennis.

The information speculates that inactivity may extend to the tournament in Rome, which would delay del Potro’s return to the tennis to the 1000 Madrid Masters, an event which starts on 10 May and is on the eve of Roland Garros. And in this second Grand Slam, Del Potro should defend the points he got last year to reach the semifinals.

Read more: http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/04/07/del-potro-simon-soderling-out-of-monte-carlo-nadal-knee-advisory/#ixzz0kY8wxhTM


MMT Says:

Ben Pronin said: “The technology allows for players to produce immense power with minimal effort. Hitting the ball harder isn’t the cause of injuries.”

I would beg to differ with you here – it’s true that the technology allows players to hit with more power, but it is not because they don’t swing as hard.

The technology actually allows players to swing harder (because the frames are lighter, stiffer and absorb more vibration) and still keep the ball in play. 30 years ago, only Borg and Connors swung their racquets like that – now everybody does.

This technologically advanced equipment allows them to basically swing for the fences time and time again, and the repetion of that extreme, in my opinion, can result in more injuries.


Ben Pronin Says:

That’s a bunch of hooey. Swinging hard at the ball isn’t going to hurt you unless your technique is flawed. And if you’re in bad shape.


Tom Welsh Says:

Ben Pronin, what is your special expertise? You can easily see that players are hitting the ball with immense power – they put their whole bodies into it. Just use your eyes!

I suspect that Del Potro actually injured his wrist during the US Open final against Federer. Not quite 21, and faced by the possibility of realising his lifetime dream, he naturally drew heavily on his personal trump card – that enormous forehand. Think it through, and you will realise that Del Potro has not played a single match at full power since then. He went to the Far East, lost to a beginner, and pulled out of a couple of tournaments. Then he pulled out of Kooyong, and struggled through a few rounds of the Australian Open before losing to Cilic. Now that is no disgrace – Cilic is a great player – but normally Del Potro has his measure these days.


Ben Pronin Says:

Generally playing tennis?

If they put their whole bodies into the shot they shouldn’t be using too much of their wrists. When you hit a technique-perfect shot with proper weight transfer and everything, you won’t feel any pain. You think Nadal hurts his knees when he sets up for a forehand? Or Del Potro hurt his wrist when he was smacking winners? No, the injuries occur while they’re on the run. Technology does play a huge role. A vital role. And it’s not because a player is swinging as hard as he can, it’s because his opponent is. If you’re always getting floaters, you’re not going to suffer from any pain whatsoever (unless your technique is bad). Del Potro probably did get injured in that US Open final because, what impressed me most besides his forehand, was his defense. He was getting everything from everywhere and snapping the ball back. Players like Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer play with more topspin on their shots because their wrists are more flexible. Thus, when they try to get shots from far off the court they can snap their wrists without worrying too much about being injured. Davydenko and Del Potro play their shots more flat because their wrists aren’t as flexible and, therefore, hurt their wrists more when they have to rely solely on it.


Tom Welsh Says:

OK, thanks for your explanation, Ben. I owe you an apology – from your slightly offhand manner, I assumed you were an armchair critic. But you have convinced me you do know your stuff. And you have explained some things I didn’t understand. I appreciate your taking the trouble to explain.


sar Says:

I’m trying to get tickets for the Serbia Open which is all sold out, any ideas?


margot Says:

Ben: Andy M has many different shots up his sleave. But he too keeps getting wrist injuries.


Ben Pronin Says:

Back when Federer criticized Murray for his style, he said he wouldn’t be able to last physically like that throughout an entire career. Murray lets his opponents play hard. He gives them those floaters so that they can tee-off on them and then he blocks them back. Always using your opponent’s pace isn’t ideal. The guy hits passing shots at will, and it’s amazing, but it’s all wrist. And he clearly likes hitting passing shots (when you hit them that well, who wouldn’t) but constantly hitting them isn’t good for his wrist. Also, this might be a stretch but always mixing up the way he hits the ball could irritate the wrist, too.


margot Says:

Cheers for that response Ben. I thought when Fed said that about Andy he meant the old legs would give out cos of all the chasing he does. Also was gonna ask you, I seem to remember Rafa being injured in some match, may even have been against Andy, and not being able to hit his forehand properly because he uses his thigh muscles to give weight/spin to the shot. If so, tendinitis isn’t just going to affect his movement.


Lisa Farley Says:

I believe Juan injured his wrist during fall in 5th set U.S. Open.


Lisa Farley Says:

P.S. More precisely, 5th set Final with RF US Open.


Lisa Farley Says:

Hope Juan returns soon. He’s missed!!


cathy Says:

Del Porto is a JOKE! I hated him from the beginning – he is a tennis fraud and not deserving of any ranking whatsoever! Everyone else in the top ten work their asses off and this goof in the top ranking cries about a wrist?? WTF – get him OUT of this sport!!! Pansy ass


Lisa Farley Says:

Cathy – Juan IS NOT A JOKE and he’s going nowhere but to NUMBER ONE!!!


bobby g Says:

Ben Ben Ben, ..”99% of the top players either didn’t play well or didn’t play Indian Wells/Miami..” what planet are you on? Indian Wells had some amazing matches–I was there! There wasn’t one match that wasn’t A+. All of it, doubles included. Miami had some funky weather as usual, but the tennis matches on t.v. were good. Don’t be so flippant about the ATP tour, it is at such a high level –the best ever, period. Get out and watch some matches. BG Carlsbad,Ca


bobby g Says:

And don’t forget the polyester strings–they may have played a role in Del Po’s wrist injury. BG

Top story: Sinner Swallows Up Zverev For Second Straight Australian Open, 3rd Slam