AP – Top-ranked Briton Cameron Norrie faces an injury battle ahead of next week’s Australian Open after withdrawing from the ATP Auckland Open with a wrist injury.
The 19th-ranked Englishman was due to face Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo in a quarterfinal yesterday but moments before the centre-court match was to begin, news broke that Norrie would not be able to play.
The injury is to his right wrist and he is expected to have scans to determine its nature and seriousness. Norrie woke yesterday with pain in his wrist, but had still hoped to be fit to play before making the decision to withdraw at the last moment.
Norrie, who is seeded-19th for the Australian Open, has been drawn to play Juan Pablo Varillas of Peru in the first round at Melbourne Park starting January 14.
Auckland-born Norrie is a crowd favourite at the New Zealand tournament and has reached the final in both of the last two years.
