Injured De Minaur pulls out of Hong Kong event
Alex de Minaur has withdrawn from the Ultimate Tennis Series event in Hong Kong having failed to recover from a niggling hip injury.
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The Australian arrived from Shanghai having made the quarter-finals of the ATP 1000 Masters event there, where he was knocked out by Daniil Medvedev.
“I was very much looking forward to participating in the first UTS event held in Hong Kong,” de Minaur said.
“However, it now seems I haven’t physically recovered quickly enough as I was feeling the pain even before working on the practice court. After discussing with my team, I have had no choice but to withdraw and to meet my doctors for a proper assessment.
“I have been amazed by the excellent venue for the Hong Kong leg of the tour and the outstanding player line-up, which is sure to deliver an incredibly exciting tournament for everyone. I hope everyone thoroughly enjoys the competition, and I look forward to hopefully returning to Hong Kong soon to put on a great show for you all in the future.”
The 26-year-old's withdrawal follows those last week of compatriot Nick Kyrgios and the Czech star Tomas Machac. The pair was replaced by Jerry Shang Juncheng and French star Adrian Mannarino.
“While it’s unfortunate that Alex has been forced to withdraw from the event, we understand that injuries are an inevitable part of this physically and mentally demanding sport, particularly towards the end of a long season,” Patrick Mouratoglou, the founder of UTS, said.
“We are delighted to welcome an excellent player like Jenson Brooksby to the field at such short notice. Together with the other seven top players, each with their unique styles and personalities, the matches over the next two days promise to be thrilling and exciting showdowns.”