TENNIS/Monte Carlo Masters Series:The central court at the country club here is the most sublime setting in world tennis, especially on a day such as yesterday when the weather was still and warm and the Mediterranean like deep blue glass. But there was trouble in paradise.
Late in the evening Andy Murray, when playing a first-round doubles match with his brother Jamie, injured his back and was forced to retire when a set down, although he hopes to play his first-round match against France's Marc Gicquel today.
"I hit a shot and my back went into spasms and it got worse and worse after every game. So now I just have to see what it's going to feel like tomorrow," Murray said.
Earlier in the day there had been rumours that he was unwell, although by lunchtime the 19-year-old Scot, who entered the world's top 10 this week, emerged to say he was well, despite appearing decidedly pale.
Murray had been at pains to underline his new level of fitness on Sunday, although his coach, Brad Gilbert, had said he was still not 100 per cent after injuring his groin during the Miami Masters when he was knocked out 6-1, 6-0 in the semi-finals by Serbia's Novak Djokovic. Prior to that he had fallen during the Indian Wells Masters and hurt his hip and knee.
Tim Henman's problems were more obvious in losing 7-5, 6-2 to the former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain. This tournament has served the Briton well over the years, establishing him as a clay-court performer of considerable reputation, culminating in his semi-final appearance at the French Open three years ago.
Now, as he approaches his 33rd birthday, Henman's body, and particularly his back, increasingly rebels. "The back is unpredictable. It has been good for long periods but it flares up," he said.
Flare-ups were a theme yesterday, with leading players getting more angry at the way that Etienne de Villiers, the president of the ATP, is trying to force changes to the calendar.
With two new joint men's and women's tournaments scheduled for Shanghai and Madrid in 2009, the Monte Carlo and Hamburg Masters have come under threat of being downgraded. Both are resorting to legal retaliation.
The players, who co-own the ATP with the tournaments, believe they are being railroaded into change without due consultation.
Roger Federer, the world number one, sitting alongside his great rival Rafael Nadal of Spain, described the players' plea for more time as "a little scream for help". It is fast growing into a full-blooded yell.
Henman could proffer no easy solution. "I sympathise with Etienne, who is trying to make scheduling changes for the benefit of the game, but it's a pretty unfortunate scenario where you have the ATP made up of 50 per cent players and 50 per cent tournaments effectively suing itself.
"I think there are quite a few players who feel that perhaps we would be better off as a separate organisation."
Rebellion is in the air.
The ITF, the overall governing body of tennis, also came under fire from Federer for not changing the scheduling of the Davis Cup, which the men want played immediately after the four grand slam championships.
Francesco Ricci Bitti, the ITF president, at once issued a statement assuring the players that the federation was working "quietly behind scenes".
Guardian Service
