Murray absent as US hardcourt campaign opens

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Former champions James Blake and Dmitry Tursunov lead the way into the summer hardcourt season at the ATP Indianapolis Championships starting Monday after the pullout of Andy Murray. (AFP)

Former champions James Blake and Dmitry Tursunov lead the way into the summer hardcourt season at the ATP Indianapolis Championships starting Monday after the pullout of Andy Murray.

The British number nine cited physical issues for his late withdrawal, the Scotsman saying on his website that he wanted to remain fresh for the upcoming Toronto and Cincinnati ATP Masters Series events later this month.

He also cited the tight schedule, which includes the Beijing Olympics preceeding the August 25 start of the US Open.

"Andy wants to take some rest and recharge his batteries before a very gruelling period, including the Beijing Olympics," added a spokesman on his website.

Murray was joined as an absentee in the Midwest by injured Asians Lee Hyung-Taik of South Korea, with an ankle injury, and Japan's Kei Nishikori, suffering with the stomach muscle pull that saw him retire in Wimbledon's first round.

World number eight Blake won the tournament final two years ago over fellow American Andy Roddick, but lost last year in the quarter-finals to young countryman Sam Querrey, seeded fourth at this edition.

Robby Ginepri, the 2005 Indy winner, takes the seventh seeding.

Former Harvard student Blake is coming off a painful five-set Wimbledon loss to Rainer Schuettler and will be keen to re-establish his game at home. He begins in the first round against Israeli Dudi Sela.

Tursunov, known as the class clown of the ATP for his quirky humour and fast wit, is seeded third behind Frenchman Gilles Simon, who took the title at Casablanca on clay two months ago.

California-based Russian Tursunov won the final a year ago over Canadian surprise Frank Dancevic, who returns as an unseeded danger-man on the fast hardcourts.

Since winning Indy a year ago, 33rd-ranked Tursunov has won an indoor event in Bangkok and began 2008 with the Sydney title. Tursunov enters the first round against fellow Russian Igor Kunitsyn.

Dancevic gets a first-round chance for revenge after a four-set Wimbledon loss when he plays American Bobby Reynolds, winner of their last two matches.

Two-time quarter-finalist Tommy Haas will play as fifth seed while flashy French veteran Fabrice Santoro enters the field as a special exempt after reaching the Newport semi-finals on grass.

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