Andy Murray, the three-time Grand Slam champion, has reportedly been ruled out of Wimbledon following a back operation.
The tennis star was forced to retire just five games into his second-round match at the Queen’s Club earlier this week due to injury. Following surgery on his spine, it appears that Murray will miss his home Grand Slam tournament.
He had planned to retire from tennis this summer, but this latest injury could disrupt those plans. Murray underwent surgery for a spinal cyst shortly after withdrawing from the cinch Championships at Queen’s.
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The Telegraph reports that the recovery period is expected to be six weeks, effectively ruling him out of Wimbledon.
(Image: Getty Images)
Although Murray’s team has not yet confirmed his withdrawal from the grass-court Grand Slam, with Wimbledon starting in eight days, it seems highly unlikely that he will be fit to compete.
Murray had intended to retire this summer and recently confessed that he probably wouldn’t say goodbye at the US Open or Davis Cup. This meant that Wimbledon and the Olympics were likely to be his final tournaments, reports the Express.
The former world No. 1 had planned to team up with his brother Jamie in the men’s doubles for his Wimbledon farewell, leaving Jamie now searching for a new partner.
(Image: Getty Images for LTA)
Andy Murray’s Olympic dreams are hanging by a thread after the tennis ace revealed he’s facing a six-week layoff, putting his Tokyo hopes in jeopardy. The 37-year-old Scot, who’s nabbed two golds in men’s singles before, snagged an ITF wildcard for the Olympics as a past Grand Slam champ and had plans to hit the doubles court with Dan Evans.
But after a nasty slip at Queen’s, Evans is in the same boat of uncertainty.
Murray, who had to bow out from his second-round clash at Queen’s, spilled the beans on his back troubles that have been nagging him for some time, though he’d been soldiering through the pain.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, it all went pear-shaped when he was heading up the stairs to take on Jordan Thompson, and a sharp jolt of pain shot through his leg.
“During my prematch warmup, you know, I was pretty uncomfortable, and then I walked up the stairs to go to, just before going on the court, I didn’t have, like, the usual just normal strength in my right leg. It was not a usual feeling,” Murray confessed post-match, having thrown in the towel at 1-4 down.
“Then, yeah, I don’t know how many of you were watching, but the first two balls I hit in the warmup, my right leg, it was complete, like, so uncoordinated. I had no coordination. Then, yeah, I wasn’t able to, yeah, right leg just was not working properly.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Murray’s retirement plans are now hanging in the balance as it seems doubtful that he’ll be fit for Wimbledon or the Olympics. He might backtrack on his previous statement and bid farewell at the US Open or Davis Cup, giving him additional time to recuperate.
The ex-world No. 1 could also completely alter his plans – retiring off-court or delaying his career-ending plans.
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