Gonzalez to Have Hip Surgery

Written by: Staff on 24th September 2010

Gonzalez to Have Hip Surgery |

Fernando Gonzalez, Chile’s former world no.5 who has been struggling with injuries for much of 2010, will become the latest leading player to undergo hip surgery and is likely to be out of competitive action for nine months.

The 30 year-old from Santiago reached the Australian Open final in 2007 but this year has seen his ranking slip from a calendar opening 11th position to 44th, his lowest placing in more than eight years.

Gonzalez will be be operated on by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr Brian Kelly in New York on October 4. The prime concern is the right hip but there is also a possibility minor surgery will be carried out on the right knee.

In June Gonzalez was forced to miss Wimbledon because of injuries and this year, after a promising start where he reached the last 16 of the Australian Open and went on to semi-final finishes on clay in Santiago and Acapulco, he has struggled.

Since losing to Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets in only the second round of the French Open, Gonzalez has taken the court for just two matches and was forced to retire midway through his first-round clash with Croatia’s Ivan Dodig at the U.S. Open after taking the first set in a tie-break.

In recent times former world no.1’s Gustavo Kuerten and Lleyton Hewitt have both required hip surgery.

Topics: Acapulco, Australian Open, Brian Kelly, Clash, Dodig, Dr Brian, Fernando Gonzalez, French Open, Gustavo Kuerten, Hip Surgery, Ivan, Lleyton Hewitt, Minor Surgery, Nine Months, Prime Concern, Renowned Orthopedic Surgeon, Santiago, Straight Sets, Tie Break, Wimbledon