Philippoussis out of Australian Open

Scud out for summer

From AAP

28 December 00

AAP

BIG-SERVING Mark Philippoussis will be sidelined for the Australian summer after an MRI scan yesterday detected a slight tear in the lateral meniscus of his left knee.
The Melburnian is currently undergoing surgery.

Philippoussis had been hitting in Melbourne when knee soreness - which has troubled him since he originally sustained the injury at Wimbledon 1999 and ultimately caused him to withdraw from Stockholm last month - forced him to seek medical advice.

A result of the surgery is Philippoussis' withdrawal from the Hopman Cup and 2001 Australian Open, and he will not be eligible for the first round Davis Cup clash at Perth's Royal Kings Park (February 9-11).

Philippoussis, who finished the year ranked 11 on the ATP Tour Entry System, today spoke of his frustration with his latest setback.

"Naturally, I'm very disappointed about missing the Australian summer, but I'm confident of a full recovery, and am planning to return to competitive play in San Jose," he said.

"I felt I was playing great tennis at the end of this year. I'm really enjoying working with Maca (Peter McNamara) again, and I honestly believe that my best tennis will come in the next four to five years.

"As for Davis Cup, I obviously have issues regarding my schedule and injuries. I'll wait to see how my year unfolds and keep in contact with Fitzy and Wally," he said.

Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald recently met with Philippoussis to discuss the player's future prospects within the competition.

"Mark and I had a terrific meeting a couple of weeks ago and I now have a clearer understanding of his position in relation to Davis Cup. It was really positive and the lines of communication are wide open," Fitzgerald said.

"Australia's job first up is to beat Ecuador. Should we accomplish that, Wally (Masur) and I will approach everyone in the hope we can have all hands on deck to tackle our second-round opposition, which will probably be Brazil away.

"That's a pretty tough assignment, so we'll really need all guns blazing there," Fitzgerald said.

Philippoussis out of Australian Open

By Scott Coghlan

29dec00

The Australian

MARK Philippoussis is out of the Australian Open after undergoing knee

surgery in a Melbourne hospital yesterday.

Less than 24 hours after his latest coach, Peter McNamara, declared the

"Scud" in the best shape of his career, Philippoussis underwent surgery

to repair a tear in his lateral meniscus of his troublesome left knee.

A devastated McNamara, who last saw Philippoussis when they practised

together on Christmas Day, yesterday told Hopman Cup tennis director

McNamee the 24-year-old had felt a twinge in his knee as he walked up

some stairs earlier this week.

McNamee said Philippoussis had an MRI scan on Wednesday, which revealed

the tear.

The big-hitting Victorian visited his specialist yesterday, who booked

him in for immediate surgery.

Philippoussis hopes to be back in time to defend his hardcourt title in

San Jose in early February, but is likely to be out for close to two

months.

The surgery also confirms his absence from Australia's opening Davis Cup

clash with Ecuador in Perth in February.

"Naturally, I'm very disappointed about missing the Australian summer

but I'm confident of a full recovery and am planning to return to

competitive play in San Jose," Philippoussis said.

"I felt I was playing great tennis at the end of this year. I'm really

enjoying working with Maca (McNamara) again and I honestly believe that

my best tennis will come in the next four to five years.

"As for Davis Cup, I obviously have issues regarding my schedule and

injuries. I'll wait to see how my year unfolds and keep in contact with

Fitzy and Wally (Davis Cup chiefs John Fitzgerald and Wally Masur)."

McNamee said the latest injury was a real setback for the world No. 11,

who had hoped to start the new year well and force his way into the

men's top five for the first time.

"The big fellow has been having a bit of bad luck," McNamee said.

"He'd been working very hard and he's very down at the moment. It is the

same knee and the same problem."

McNamara is in Perth playing in a veteran's tournament and McNamee said

the news had rocked his former doubles partner.

"He is shattered ? they have put in a lot of work," he said.

McNamara said he would spend the next month in Melbourne supervising

Philippoussis's recuperation.

He said the decision to have surgery would allow Philippoussis to play

injury free for the remainder of 2001.

Philippoussis reached the fourth round at this year's Australian Open,

before falling to Andre Agassi in four sets.

Despite an injury-plagued year, he also reached the fourth round at the

French Open, the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the second round at the

US Open.

Problems with his left knee forced Philippoussis to retire when he had

Pete Sampras on the ropes in their quarter-final at Wimbledon last year.

McNamee has already begun the search for a replacement for Philippoussis

for the mixed-teams Hopman Cup, starting on Saturday.

He has targeted South Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who is Australia's

highest-ranked player, to partner Nicole Pratt when Australia plays its

first match on Tuesday.

Hewitt was expected to compete in the AAPT International in his home

town of Adelaide starting on Monday.

But Hewitt's Belgian girlfriend, Kim Clijsters, is competing in Perth

and McNamee said the teenager was yet to commit to the Adelaide event in

the wake of the respiratory problems that have dogged him for the past

six months.

McNamee spoke to Hewitt's father, Glyn, yesterday and said he hoped to

have an answer today.

Knee injury to keep Philippoussis out two months

December 28, 2000

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (TICKER) -- Hard-serving Australian Mark
Philippoussis will be out of action at least two months after an MRI scan
detected a slight tear in the lateral meniscus of his left knee.

Philippoussis was practicing in his hometown of Melbourne in preparation
for the 2001 season when knee soreness prompted him to seek the MRI.
He is currently undergoing surgery on the knee, which first gave him
problems at Wimbledon 1999 and forced him to withdraw from Stockholm
last month.

The 24-year-old Philippoussis will miss the Hyundai Hopman Cup and Austrailan Open 2001 and will
not be eligible to play in Australia's first round Davis Cup meeting with Ecuador in Perth from
February 9-11.

He plans to return to action at the Sybase Open, the lone tournament which he won in 2000. That
event takes place from February 26-March 4.

"Naturally I'm very disappointed about missing the Australian summer, but I'm confident of a full
recovery, and am planning to return to competitive play in San Jose," he said.

Philippoussis recently met with new Australian Davis Cup Captain John Fitzgerald about his future role
in the annual competition. Philippoussis had clashed with previous captain John Newcombe and
teammate Patrick Rafter.

"Mark and I had a terrific meeting and I now have a clearer understanding of his position in relation to
Davis Cup," Fitzgerald said. "It was really positive and the lines of communication are wide open."

Philippoussis played in Australia's first round win over Switzerland in the 2000 Davis Cup. But he
missed the last three rounds, including Australia's 3-1 loss to Spain in the final.

Philippoussis finished the year ranked 11th with a 42-21 record in ATP Tour events. He reached the
fourth round of last year's Australian Open, losing in four sets to eventual champion Andre Agassi.

INJURY RULES SCUD OUT OF AUSTRALIAN SUMMER
Mark Philippoussis will be sidelined for the Australian summer after an MRI scan yesterday detected a slight tear in the lateral meniscus of his left knee.

The Melburnian is currently undergoing surgery.

Philippoussis had been hitting in Melbourne when knee soreness - which has troubled him since he originally sustained the injury at Wimbledon 1999 and ultimately caused him to withdraw from Stockholm last month - forced him to seek medical advice.

A result of the surgery is Philippoussis' withdrawal from the Hopman Cup and 2001 Australian Open, and he will not be eligible for the first round Davis Cup clash at Perth's Royal Kings Park (February 9-11).

Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald recently met with Philippoussis to discuss the player's future prospects within the competition.

"Mark and I had a terrific meeting a couple of weeks ago and I now have a clearer understanding of his position in relation to Davis Cup. It was really positive and the lines of communication are wide open," Fitzgerald said.

"Australia's job first up is to beat Ecuador. Should we accomplish that, Wally (Masur) and I will approach everyone in the hope we can have all hands on deck to tackle our second-round opposition, which will probably be Brazil away.

"That's a pretty tough assignment, so we'll really need all guns blazing there," Fitzgerald said.

Philippoussis, who finished the year ranked 11 on the ATP Tour Entry System, today spoke of his frustration with his latest setback.

"Naturally, I'm very disappointed about missing the Australian summer, but I'm confident of a full recovery, and am planning to return to competitive play in San Jose," he said.

"I felt I was playing great tennis at the end of this year. I'm really enjoying working with Maca (Peter McNamara) again, and I honestly believe that my best tennis will come in the next four to five years.

Knee injury cause for Philippoussis’ pullout
Perth, Australia, December 28 – Aussie out of action

Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis has pulled out of the Hopman Cup mixed teams tournament starting on Saturday.

His withdrawal follows a MRI scan, which detected a slight tear in the lateral meniscus of his left knee.

Philippoussis was practicing in his hometown of Melbourne in preparation for the 2001 season when knee problems prompted him to seek help. He is currently undergoing surgery on the knee, which first gave him problems at Wimbledon 1999 and forced him to withdraw from Stockholm last month.

Philippoussis was to have teamed with Nicole Pratt in the Australian team for the tournament.

A replacement had not been named, organisers said.

The injury also means Philippoussis will not play at the Australian Open or be available for the first round Davis Cup meeting with Ecuador in Perth from February 9-11.

He hopes to return to action at the Sybase Open, the lone tournament that he won in 2000. The event takes place from February 26-March 4.

"Naturally I'm very disappointed about missing the Australian summer, but I'm confident of a full recovery, and am planning to return to competitive play in San Jose," he said.

Earlier in the day, Philippoussis' coach, Peter McNamara, had said he believed the former US Open runner-up and slimmed down Aussie was in top shape for the nine-nation Cup contest.

McNamara said he was confident of big things from his 24-year-old protege, who would have played at Burswood Dome.

Philippoussis recently met with the new Australian Davis Cup Captain John Fitzgerald about his future role in the team following the clash with previous captain John Newcombe and teammate Patrick Rafter.

"Mark and I had a terrific meeting and I now have a clearer understanding of his position in relation to Davis Cup," Fitzgerald said. "It was really positive and the lines of communication are wide open."

Meanwhile a star-studded field, including world No.2 and reigning US Open champion, Russian Marat Safin, and South African stalwart Wayne Ferreira (ranked 19th) will vie for a first prize of the US$134,000 Hopman Cup.

The women's draw-cards are Switzerland's world No.1 Martina Hingis and Monica Seles (ranked fourth), representing the United States.

Hingis and her partner, Roger Federer (ranked 25th) are the No.1 seeds and favourites to take the title.

Philippoussis is aiming to rank within the top five men's players in the world next year and McNamara believes the goal is achievable on current form.

"There's no question he can be top five - it's just whether he wants to. It's up to him," McNamara said.

"If he puts his head down and he plays well there's no reason why he can't be."

Injury blow for Aussie ace

BBC News

Mark Philippoussis will be out of action for around two months after undergoing knee surgery.

The Australian star had an operation to repair a tear in the lateral meniscus ligament of his left knee.

The problem originally flared up at Wimbledon last year and a recurrence saw him pull out of the Stockholm Open last month.

Philippoussis' management team announced the news of his enforced absence on Thursday.

The former US Open finalist admitted: "Naturally, I'm very disappointed about missing the Australian summer, but I'm confident of a full recovery."

Philippoussis has targeted a tournament in San Jose, California - which gets under way on 26 February - for his return.

Strained

He will miss the Australian Open, along with the Hopman Cup mixed teams event and the Davis Cup match between Australia and Ecuador.

The 24-year-old was the star of his country's 1999 Davis Cup final triumph over France, but he has missed several matches since, including this year's final defeat in Spain.

It was no secret that relations between Philippoussis and former Australian captain John Newcombe were strained, but Newcombe's successor, John Fitzgerald believes they can do business.

Fitzgerald said: "Mark and I had a terrific meeting a couple of weeks ago and I now have a clearer understanding of his position in relation to Davis Cup.

"It was really positive and the lines of communication are wide open."

Philippoussis added: "I'll wait and see how my year unfolds.

"I felt I was playing great tennis at the end of this year.

"I'm really enjoying working with 'Macca' (new coach Peter McNamara) and I honestly believe that my best tennis will come in the next four or five years."

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