Have we lost Murray and Djokovic until The US Open or next season?

Illness and injuries are detours to players on the ATP World Tour. The extent of those roadblocks is the question for Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic right now.

Back in November of 2016, Andy Murray’s ranking was elevated to number one. Since then, he has had an on and off hip injury. With the constant challenges of playing on tour having perhaps taken its toll on his body.

Murray was supposed to have played an exhibition at the Hurlingham Club in England, but had to withdraw because of the sore hip. His team used this withdrawal to gear up his body for Wimbledon.

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The world No. 1 had to withdraw more because of the slippery dangerous conditions on the grass courts due to continuous rainfall. He’d had sufficient grass practice session training with the NextGen teen Denis Shapovalov and was hitting with the Bulgarian, ranked No. 8, Grigor Dimitrov. But Murray was feeling dodgy about really lacking actual match plays before Wimbledon.

The test for Murray’s hip condition was challenged during the Sam Querrey match at the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. It was a grueling five-setter taking over two and a half hours on Centre Court, but his hip had gotten the brunt of the wear. He was at times visibly limping as the pain became more constant.

Many thought that the Scot was annoyed about losing to Querrey, but he’d admitted that the biggest focus was getting off the court and getting rest for his chronically injured hip.

"“You want to play all of the slams and give your best…I’ll sit down with my team and look at the next step…The US Open is six, seven weeks away. I’ll get the best advice I can…” Murray had explained."

Giles Stafford, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports-related hip disorders is evaluating Murray’s injury.

"Dr. Stafford had said of the levels Andy could have a choice of: “If he takes a bit of time he might be all right. But it really does matter how badly injured the hip is”."

If Murray decides to go through surgery, he could be out six months minimum; without surgery and just rest, a few months might be good before returning on tour.

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Novak Djokovic’s ranking has slipped to number four, and he is plagued off and on with chronic injuries.

"“I struggled the first couple of days with practice and the first match…” This was back in 2016 with a left wrist injury forcing him out of the 2016 US Open."

After that it was muscle pain in his upper right arm making it difficult to serve.

"Recently it was the round of 16 at this 2017 Wimbledon he needed right shoulder treatment by the trainer but proclaimed that “It’s not the shoulder, it’s the elbow that has kept bothering me for over a year and a half”. The pain was that severe he’d said that “the serve and forehand were shots where I could feel it the most”."

Djokovic knows it was a no-brainer to continue playing his match with Tomas Berdych so at 7-6, 2-0. Djokovic is talking with specialist as to a better way to treat his chronic painful elbow injury.

So for the current number one, Andy Murray will be getting treatment or rest for the hip and if it gets worse, the inevitable hip surgery calling tennis quits for a minimum of six months. Novak Djokovic is looking for a remedy of his arm and elbow injury and if surgery will be a cure-all to undertake or not. These two guys will be out of action for a while, getting the proper treatment so that they may continue on their professional tennis tour, despite it being an abbreviation or not. Tennis is something they love and aren’t ready to give any of it up entirely yet.