EXCLUSIVE
THE SCOOP: SATURDAY, MARCH 8

Murphy Jensen diagnosed with heart condition

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN DELRAY BEACH, FLA. – Luke and Murphy Jensen had to withdraw from their doubles quarterfinals at the International Tennis Championships on Friday evening after Murhpy experienced heart problems and was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.

According to ATP trainer Bill Norris, "Murphy came to me when he arrived because he had been sick. He arrived with an upper respiratory infection and chest pains. I said to Murphy let's not fool around with this and sent him to a local cardiologist. He was diagnosed with a heart condition that was brought on from from the virus. It can be treated with medication and can be controlled. But he cannot play until he gets a green light from the doctors."

Murphy played the first doubles match here but didn't feel up to playing the quarterfinal on Friday night against Leander Paes and Nenad Zemonjic.

Murphy was on the grounds of the Delray tournament on Friday and even seemed in good spirits but did not hang around for the entire exhibition that his brother played in lieu of their doubles match.

After the exhibition brother Luke and father, Howard, spoke with tennisreporters.net. "He's fine but you know we lead a lifestyle that was really fast," Luke said.

"He'd been suffering from the flu for two weeks and then had an abscessed tooth and needed root canal but played an exhibition at Corpus Christi.

"When he was on the court he was feeling short of breath. He went to see the doctor and they said there was something wrong with his heart – it's not pumping at enough of a pace. It's something he got from the virus. He's seen like three other cardiologist."

Howard Jensen added, "They told him he could damage his heart if he played so he decided he better not."