After confirming his entry into the Aircel Chennai Open earlier this month, Janko Tipsarevic has withdrawn from the tournament. The former world number eight has only played 13 matches over the last two years as he has been battling injuries. The Serb’s withdrawal from the tournament, which takes place in the first week of the season, puts his Australian Open into doubt as well which takes place two weeks after Chennai begins.
Tipsarevic Speaks On His Injury
“I want to be ready at 110% and the moment I am not - said to Zurnal Website - I have to make sure that once I start, I will not stop. At the moment I decided only to skip Chennai. Next week I will decide if I will be playing the Australian Open.”
The Serb’s Injury Battle
At the end of the 2014 season, the former world number eight underwent foot surgery. He came back after 17 months of inactivity this March at the Miami Open to play doubles with his good friend and countryman Novak Djokovic. In his following two tournaments at the US Men’s Clay Court Championships and the Romanian Open, the 31-year-old won his opening match before falling in the second round. The Serb was given wild cards into Wimbledon and the US Open. Both times he lost in the opening round but fared better at Flushing Meadows, taking Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to five sets.
Tipsarevic’s Post Australian Open Plans
Should the Serb decide to pull out of the Australian summer altogether, his plan is to head to Sofia after the first Grand Slam of the year. Sofia, which is located in Bulgaria, will host an ATP tournament for the first time since 1981. The former world number eight will use his protected ranking to get into the Sofia Open which is an ATP 250 event.