Accident sidelines Muster

Press, 3 April 1989, Page 36

Accident sidelines Muster

NZPA-Reuter Key Biscayne, Florida Austrian Thomas Muster was in a forgiving mood yesterday after suffering a severe knee injury in an automobile accident that could keep him out of tennis action for nine months. “I am not angry at what’s happened,” said the 21-year-old Davis Cup star after leaving a Miami hospital for his hotel. Muster, who was to have played Ivan Lendl in the final of the International Players Championships today, was removing equipment from the boot of his car when a Miami driver hit it headon and knocked him to the ground. Muster tore both ligaments in his left knee. “I thought I’ll never be able to

walk again in my life,” Muster said of his first thoughts after the accident “I. was so shocked and scared, but I thought: ‘thank God I’m alive.’ “I just want to be a normal person and walking. “This is a poor guy who did this. They took away his licence two times before. Things like this can happen in seconds,” he said of the accident that took place shortly after his five-set semi-final victory over the Frenchman Yannick Noah. Miami police refused to comment on the incident and would not say whether charges would be brought against the driver who hit Muster’s car. c

Muster, who was to have led his nation’s Davis Cup team against Sweden next week-end, said he would fly back to Austria. Dr Charles Virgin, who treated Muster and put the leg in a cast, said the Austrian would need reconstructive surgery and was likely to be out of action for six to nine months.

• The top seed, Gabriela Sabatini, of Argentina, chalked up her tenth singles title and retained her world No. 3 ranking in the process yesterday.

The 18-year-old won the SUS2.I million (SNZ3.4 million) International Players Championship women’s title with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory over the second seed, American Chris Evert. (