The tennis world has been left saddened in the midst of the Australian Open after devastating reports emerged about two former champions.
Popular grand slam doubles champion Max Mirnyi, 46, is said to have undergone surgery to remove a malignant brain tumour and is now recovering.
The hopeful update on his condition was followed by a report that his occasional doubles partner and two-time Davis Cup winner Mikhail Youzhny had lost his wife Yulia.
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Yulia died in Dubai last week after a long illness, according to veteran tennis journalist Cindy Schmerler.
Youzhny, 41, and Yulia have three children together, sons Maxim and Igor and a young daughter born after his retirement from tennis in 2018.
Yulia was pictured at Youzhny’s matches — including in Melbourne for the Australian Open — during a career that lasted nearly two decades.
Youzhny, who peaked at world No.8, reached the quarter-finals at all four grand slams and twice made the semis at the US Open, while he won the Davis Cup with Russia in 2002 and 2006.
Youzhny turned to coaching, working with Canadian star Denis Shapovalov in 2019-20, but their relationship soured last year when the Russian commented on his former protege’s career.
Youzhny is arguably most famous for smashing his racquet on his own head during an ATP match in 2008.
He drew blood and, after a medical timeout, bounced back to win the contest in three sets.
Mirnyi, meanwhile, was affectionately known as The Beast during a successful career in singles and doubles.
He won 10 grand slam men’s and mixed doubles titles — including one with Lleyton Hewitt and two alongside Serena Williams.
Mirnyi also made doubles finals with Roger Federer and Anna Kournikova, and won the US Open and London 2012 Olympic gold with Victoria Azarenka.
Azarenka is currently playing in the Australian Open, with her second-round singles match scheduled for Thursday night.
Mirnyi remained involved in top-level tennis as a coach following his retirement in 2018.
He worked with former world No.4 Kei Nishikori as recently as last year after first joining the Japanese star’s coaching team in 2019.
Schmerler’s reports on Mirnyi and Yulia prompted an outpouring of grief among the tennis community.
Prominent media figures Blair Henley and Jose Morgado grieved the “terrible news”.
Former tennis journalist Neil Harman paid tribute to the tennis players.
“So sorry to hear this,” he wrote.
“On a personal note, I got on tremendously well with Max. We’d always chat some topic or another when we bumped into each other across the world which was most weeks! Praying for his complete recovery.
“Sending condolences to Mikhail.”
TennisNow said: “Thoughts and prayers to both, and the families of both.”
Tick Tock Tennis wrote: “Utterly heartbreaking news for Youzhny and devastating for Mirnyi. Hope they’re both surrounded by love and support right now.”
