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Worn-out Murray warned: You must rest or risk never winning again
GREG RUSEDSKI has urged Andy Murray to miss next month’s US Open if his damaged hip means he’s not a serious contender.
And his brother Jamie claimed the world No.1 could have a more limited playing schedule now he has passed 30.
Last year’s champion met a specialist yesterday to discuss treatment for his nagging hip injury following his shock exit in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Murray had always planned to take a two-week holiday following Wimbledon before returning to action in Montreal on August 7, three weeks before the US Open starts. Both dates are now in doubt. Former British No.1 Rusedksi said: “He needs to go away and get himself healthy.
“Don’t rush it. Don’t start up until you’re ready even if that means missing the US Open.
“Be healthy, be smart if you want to continue your career because you don’t want to be one of those guys who just turns up at Majors with no chance of winning.
“He’s the world No.1. He doesn’t want to just take part in Majors – he wants to be winning them.
“Last year was a Herculean effort to get to world No.1. But you need rest and recuperation and his body just hasn’t had enough of it.”
Murray underwent surgery on his back to clear up a longstanding injury in 2013, taking three months out of the game, but he is reluctant to go under the knife again.
His brother Jamie said of the quarter-final defeat by Sam Querrey: “When it is your brother you don’t like to see him in pain.
“You could tell he was not going to be able to get through the match. It was sad to see him like that in the last 45 minutes of the match, but he did his best.
“I am sure it is cumulative. It has been a huge build-up for him over the last seven to 10 years with the training that he has done and the matches he has played, the conditions he has faced and what he has put his body through. “As you get older, those things have an increasing impact. “At some point he is going to have to manage his workload. Federer has done an amazing job of that. “He didn’t play for like six months last year and came back in Australia playing amazing tennis. “Then he skipped the clay-court season and came to Wimbledon fresh and looking forward to playing. He has got a great chance to win again. “I am sure that all players, not just Andy, will look at that and learn from that.” Former champion Boris Becker added: “Age is only a number but you only have one body. Andy has to look after his. “I had my struggles with injuries, especially with my right ankle, and I am paying a heavy price today. “He has got to think long-term and not worry about making the US Open. “If he is moving there like he moved at Wimbledon, then he won’t win it anyway.”