Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MURRAY: I WILL GET BACK
Andy vows to return so that his daughter can see him in action
ANDY MURRAY revealed his desire for daughter Sophia to see him playing tennis drove his decision to undergo hip surgery.
And the British No.1, out since last year’s Wimbledon, has targeted a return for his home Grand Slam this summer.
“I’m not finished playing tennis yet,” he insisted. “I’m very optimistic.”
Murray won his second Wimbledon in 2015 and his second Olympic title the following year – not long after becoming a father in February 2016.
“One of the things I would like to do is play until my eldest daughter is able to watch me and have a small understanding of what it is I’ve done for my living,” he said.
“That’s one of the things that’s motivated me to keep playing. That would be cool if she can come along and watch me hit some balls or practice just to see what it is I do.
“I like seeing the other kids when they are on the tour with their parents, who get to do a bit of travelling with them when they’re at an age when they know more about what it is that they’re doing.
“Now I’ve had surgery, that’s something I’m looking forward to in the future.
“The rest of my body feels fantastic. I feel really good physically now apart from this one issue. I think I’m going to be back on the court competing at the highest level again.”
Murray pulled out of the Australian Open last week and issued a statement saying: “I’ll be flying home shortly to assess all the options.”
Instead, he’d already reluctantly decided on surgery and flew to Melbourne. Dr John O’donnell, who has known Murray since he was 20, performed the operation.
“It went well, very well,” he said from his hospital bed yesterday. “I was nervous this morning, but it was the right decision to make. I’ve been in pain walking since before Wimbledon.”
After months of secrecy, Murray also revealed he underwent minor groin surgery just before Christmas, but could be back on a practice court in April.
“I’m not going to try to get back as quickly as I can,” he said. “I’m going to take my time to make sure the rehabilitation is done properly and that the surgery is as successful as it can be.
“I’ve been quoted times for how long it’s taken to get back from the surgery I had and up to 14 weeks is what I’ve been given.
“But I’m going to take as long as I need before I get back on court. Most likely that will be around the grass-court season, maybe slightly before. I’m not going to put a date on it, or a tournament, because there’s no need.”