Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray retired injured at Queen's last week; Murray is hoping to make a farewell appearance at SW19 this summer but swansong in doubt amid unconfirmed reports of surgery
Monday 24 June 2024 08:33, UK
Fresh doubts over Andy Murray's participation at Wimbledon surfaced on Sunday amid reports the three-time Grand Slam champion had undergone spinal surgery.
The Daily Telegraph reported the 37-year-old had gone under the knife on Saturday after withdrawing from his second-round match against Jordan Thompson at Queen's on Wednesday.
Those claims appeared to be substantiated by a post on X by the ATP Tour, the governing body for men's professional tennis, but with the post subsequently deleted and no confirmation from Murray's camp, the extent of his injury remains unclear.
Before his injury, Murray was gearing up to play at Wimbledon - which begins on July 1 - for what is expected to be his final appearance at the Grand Slam, but those plans - and his participation at this summer's Olympics in Paris - appear in doubt.
An update on Murray's condition and chances of featuring at the Olympics in Paris, where he has been selected as part of Team GB's squad, is expected from his camp on Monday.
Speaking after his Queen's retirement, Murray said: "During my pre-match warm-up I was pretty uncomfortable and then I walked up the stairs, just before going on the court, I didn't have the normal strength in my right leg. It was not a usual feeling.
"Then the first two balls I hit in the warm-up, my right leg, it was, like, so uncoordinated. I had no coordination. Then, yeah, my right leg just was not working properly.
"In hindsight, I wish I hadn't gone on there because it was pretty awkward for everyone.
"There is nothing I could do, and then there is part of you that wants to go out there and see if it gets better, you know, and maybe feel better with a bit of treatment or something, but that wasn't the case."
Murray tried to play through the pain before eventually he had to withdraw from the match at Queen's, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as he waved to the spectators.
Murray, who only returned to action last month after eight weeks out due to damaging ankle ligaments in late March, had targeted playing in the singles tournament and the men's doubles alongside his brother Jamie at Wimbledon.
The Olympic Games in Paris follows Wimbledon with Murray named in Great Britain's squad after the International Tennis Federation awarded him a place having won singles gold in London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Tennis at the Olympics begins on July 27, with Murray nominated to play singles and men's doubles with Dan Evans.
He has indicated he will retire after this summer.
Twice champion Andy Murray has not yet made a decision on his Wimbledon participation, Britain's Davis Cup captain Leon Smith said just hours after the ATP announced the 37-year-old will miss the grass court major after back surgery.
The professional men's tours governing ATP has since deleted its post on social media platform X.
Murray withdrew from this week's Queen's Club Championships due to the injury while trailing 4-1 in the first set of his second-round match with Jordan Thompson on Wednesday, having beaten Alexei Popyrin in his 1,000th tour-level singles contest.
The ongoing issue was aggravated by Murray's participation in this year's French Open.
"He obviously went through a procedure yesterday (Saturday) and you have to wait and see now," Smith told the BBC.
"My understanding is no decision has been made and let's hope for the best for Andy."
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