Nalbandian undergoes hip surgery

BARCELONA, Spain, May 14 (UPI) -- David Nalbandian, the world's No. 15-ranked tennis player, had surgery on his hip to repair a torn labrum and will miss at least four months of playing time.

Nalbandian is 14-7 with one title this year but dropped a first-round match in Portugal last week and withdrew from a scheduled quarterfinal match the week before in Spain because of the injury.

The injury was diagnosed as a torn labrum in his right hip. Physicians said the operation Wednesday was a success and Nalbandian should make a full recovery.

"I have been suffering from feelings of discomfort for a year and a half," Nalbandian said on his Web site. "It was the hip, then it was not the hip. At the beginning I was not correctly diagnosed so the problem has been dragging on for a year."

Nalbandian, 27, will miss the year's three remaining Grand Slam events as well as Argentina's Davis Cup quarterfinal against the Czech Republic in July.

He is 306-148 with 10 titles and $9.8 million in winnings since turning pro in 2000.