Tennis:Louk Sorensen, the only Irishman to win a match at the Australian Open era, has been forced to retire at the age of just 26. Sorensen has been plagued by injury since the start of last year and decided to call it a day after suffering a knee injury six weeks ago.
The German-born player made it to the second round of the Australian Open last year, his win over Lu Yen-hsun emulating the achievements of Matt Doyle and Wimbledon and the US Open in the 1980s
Sorenson, who’s father Sean captained Ireland in the Davis Cup, has rarely been injury free since early in 2010. He missed Ireland’s Davis Cup match with Turkey last March and has battled a succession of problems ever since. The latest knee injury was the final straw, prompting the Stuttgart native to retire from the professional ranks.
“Louk’s retirement is a hugh blow for the Irish Davis Cup team,” said Davis Cup captain Gary Cahill. “Our 2011 programme requires us to play some very tough opponents and Louk’s absence from the team has been very difficult for us. Louk has had a really impressive Davis Cup career to date and he is a proven match winner in international competition. We understand very well the huge disappointments he has suffered with injuries throughout his career.”