Mark Philippoussis has injured his right knee yet again and is heading for his fifth surgery for a damaged cartilage the media reported.
MELBOURNE: Two-time Grand Slam runner-up and one of the top tennis players of Australia in recent years Mark Philippoussis has injured his right knee yet again and is heading for his fifth surgery for a damaged cartilage, the media reported here Wednesday.
The summer is over for Philippoussis, even as he refuses to concede defeat on his teetering career. The latest surgery could mean four weeks off tennis and for someone with his miserable medical history, it could be the end after an MRI scan Monday revealed the tear.
Philippoussis, 31, felt pain in his right knee while preparing for the Australian Open wildcard play-off, then reported swelling and soreness after Saturday night's opening round-robin defeat of Brydan Klein. He played again on Sunday and lost limply to unknown Sam Groth before withdrawing from Monday's redundant third match against Mark Verryth.
He will have immediate surgery on the same joint that was repaired in January and has kept the former world No. 8 and Wimbledon finalist off the court for most of the 11 months since.
"I am bitterly disappointed because I really wanted to play in Australia this summer," Philippoussis said in a statement. "They tell me it can be fixed. My initial reaction is I want to get the surgery done and then work on getting back on the court as soon as I can."
Sports medicine doctor Peter Brukner said what would be a three- or four-week setback for someone with an otherwise sound knee joint could be far more serious for Philippoussis, who has also had three operations on his left knee as well as the more recent repair work on the torn lateral meniscus in his right.
Philippoussis had hoped for a wildcard into the Adelaide International in the first week of January and then intended to contest the Australian Open qualifying tournament if he had not earned or was awarded a main draw wildcard.
Philippoussis tumbled off the ATP computer last week, having not played an official tour match in 12 months. If and when he returns, it will be with a temporary injury ranking of 119th.
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