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Article: Lendl retires after losing battle with back problems force Lendl into r etirement
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- December 21, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1994 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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How cruel that Ivan Lendl, who prided himself on being the
fittest player in tennis, had to announce his retirement yesterday
because of a back injury.
We had seen the day coming, long before a degenerative condition
of the spine known as facet joint syndrome forced the issue three
months before his 35th birthday.
During the past couple of years, when his edge was no longer
there and a variety of physical problems began to take a toll, it
was apparent that Lendl could not finish his career near the top.
Hopes were expressed that he would avoid the embarrassment
of a slide down the rankings.
"This is not when I would have chosen to retire," he said
yesterday during a conference call organised ...