MURRAY PLAYING TENNYS FOR US OPEN RETURN

Joker and ‘Man of the People’ Gelling so desperate to complete the full set of personal honours

ANDY MURRAY will face American Tennys Sandgren on his return to playing at the US Open next week.

And wildcard Maria Sharapova (right) faces a blockbuster opener against world No.2 Simona Halep in her first Grand Slam match since her doping ban.

Murray has not played since limping out of Wimbledon with a hip injury. But the Scot is on the other side of the draw from new No.1 Rafa Nadal and favourite Roger Federer, who are on a collision course to meet for the first time in New York in the semi-finals.

After Murray’s first meeting with world No.104 Sandgren, the Scot could then face German Florian Mayer, No.29 seed Diego Schwartzman in the third round before Frenchmen Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Aljaz Bedene plays Russian Andrey Rublev in the first round – and then is due to face Grigor Dimitrov in the second. Wimbledon semifinalist Jo Konta, one of eight women who can finish the US Open as world No.1, opens against Serbian world No.77 Aleksandra Krunic.

British No.2 Heather Watson, who has suffered six consecutive first-round losses at Flushing Meadows, will play world No.47 Alize Cornet.

Both men’s finalists from last year – winner Stan Wawrinka and runner-up Novak Djokovic – are absent with injury along with pregnant Serena Williams.

GETTING HIS KICKS Sneyd rejected a chance to be a pro footballer before his deadly boot served Hull FC GRABBING HIS CHANCE Wigan’s ‘joker in the pack’ Anthony Gelling Below: Rival skippers Gareth Ellis (left) and Sean O’Loughlin

HOPEFUL Murray avoids the big names early on