Muster ‘not selling villa to Raul’
Thomas Muster has rubbished claims he planned to flog his Croatian villa to Real Madrid legend Raul.Local daily Slobodna Dalmacija reported earlier this week that the striker now playing for Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga eyed up the posh mansion in the seaside town of Cavtat in southern Croatia.Muster, 42, acquired the estate from American ambassador to Croatia William Montgomery three years ago.Now the former number one in world tennis has vehemently denied rumours he wanted to get rid of the mansion which once belonged to late Croatian painter Vlaho Bukovac.”I have a villa in Cavtat and that’s my home. Its not true that I plan to sell it. I love the place,” the Croatian Times quotes him as saying.Meanwhile, the Styrian is struggling to make an impact on the ATP World tour after launching a sensational comeback earlier this year.Muster most recently lost against Bosnian Aldin Setkic 4-6, 6-2, 3-6 in the first round of the ATP Challenger tournament of Rijeka, Croatia, earlier this week. The 6-2 was his first won set in his fourth match after returning to professional tennis in June.The 1995 French Open champion rejected his return being called a comeback. Muster, who stopped playing on the ATP Tour in 1999, explained: “Im just back from a long holiday. I always enjoyed competing on a professional level and thats what I want to do again now.”The former “King of Clay” stressed he was aware the way back would be hard. Asked for how long he wanted to continue playing, he said: “My wife gave me the green light to play tennis until I turn 45. I want to make the most of it.”