Injury setback for Sorensen as Australian Open looming

Tennis: Louk Sorensen has suffered a blow to his preparations for this month’s Australian Open after being forced to retire during his first match in the New Year.

After receiving a bye in the opening round of the qualifying draw in the Happy Valley ATP Challenger Tour event in Adelaide, the Irish No 2 called it a day when trailing Australia’s Jacob Grills 6-3 1-0.

Just 39 minutes had elapsed in his second round match when No 4 seed Sorensen decided it would be unwise to continue because of a back injury.

“It’s an injury that started bothering Louk in his training/preparation phase — at the beginning of December,” explained the player’s father, Cork-born Sean, the former Ireland Davis Cup star and ex Ireland Davis Cup non-playing captain. “Apparently it troubled him from the start of the match against Grills and he retired to avoid it becoming an even more serious injury.

“Over the next week Louk will have to take it easy, and all we can do now is hope he will be fit for the qualifying in Melbourne (Australian Open),” added Sean Sorensen.

With the qualifying draw of the first Grand Slam of the year set to commence next Monday, the 2010 Australian Open main draw first round winner has just seven days to regain a satisfactory level of match fitness to take part in the event.