Ankle Injury Forces Raonic Out of Zagreb

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 3rd February 2014

Ankle Injury Forces Raonic Out of Zagreb

epa04027959 Milos Raonic of Canada serves to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during their third round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2014. EPA/MADE NAGI |

An ankle injury which occurred at the Australian Open but which barely came to light is starting to impact the ATP schedule of Milos Raonic, with the Canadian joining a parade of pull-outs from the Zagreb event this week. The No. 11 missed Davis Cup first-round play at the weekend in Tokyo and is now unable to begin his European indoor season.

Raonic was not able to train prior to the Cup date after hurting his ankle in the Open first round against Daniel Gimeno Traver and receiving on-court treatment on January 14. The start in Croatia would have been a career-first experience for the Canadian who has previously played – and won – in the now defunct San Jose tournament in California.

“Unfortunately my ankle injury has made it so I could not give my best performance that I and my fans expect when I step onto court. The ankle injury I re-aggravated during the first day of Davis Cup training has not healed enough for me to go out and give my best in Zagreb. It was a difficult decision to pull out of Zagreb but I am in need of the week to fully recover.

“(Croatian Coach) Ivan Ljubicic has told me great things about the Zagreb tournament, from the organization, city and the fans. It was a very important tournament to Ivan, and I am looking forward to playing it in the near future to experience it for myself first-hand.”

Already, the Zagreb pull out list is long for a 32-man tournament, with Raonic joined on the side-lines by Grigor Dimitrov, Jurgen Melzer, Feliciano Lopez and Janko Tipsarevic. “It is with a great amount of sadness that I am withdrawing from the PBZ Zagreb Indoors next week,” Raonic said in a Facebook post.

Topics: 10sballs, Ankle Injury, Atp, Australian Open, Davis Cup, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Janko Tipsarevic, Jurgen Melzer, milos raonic, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News