...FROM GIRDERS
HE has always been a tough nut to crack on court. But Andy Murray has revealed his latest operation took over twice as long as scheduled because his thigh bone is so hard the surgeon struggled to insert the metal implant into the top of his right hip. “The operation is supposed to be 45 minutes but mine took a bit longer because the bone is really strong,” the Scot said with a laugh. “It took an hour-and-a-half, two hours – which I think everyone was a bit worried about in the waiting room. “They were told I’d be back after 45 minutes and it was two-and-a-half hours later and I wasn’t back yet!” But Murray, who was last seen after his emotional defeat at the Australian Open, was back in the familiar BY NEIL McLEMAN surroundings of Queen’s Club yesterday and happy to report his January hip resurfacing operation had been a success.
The former world No.1 said: “The operation has taken that pain away and I’m really happy about that. I didn’t particularly enjoy the last 18 months at all.
“It doesn’t feel like a battle anymore – and it did feel like that the last little while.
“I feel great, like when I wake up in the morning I’m not stressed by hip pain all of the time. Now I’m just going to try my best to see how good I can make my hip.”
So far so good for the latest comeback but there is a long way to go. He decided after his loss to Roberto Bautista Agut in Melbourne that he could not continue to play with pain but knew this operation could signal the end to his career.
“Nobody has had this op and gone back to playing high-level singles before,” he said. “I can’t say for certain I will be able to do it.”
The Dunblane ace, who turns 32 in May, chose surgeon Sarah Muirhead-Allwood to carry out the procedure because she had been “honest” with him.
Murray said: “I’ve spoken to a lot of people, different specialists and surgeons. They told me things were going to turn out better than they did.
“She told me the truth and said, ‘There’s absolutely no guarantees that you’ll get back to playing’. She didn’t say to me, ‘Never try to play again’.
“It was, ‘Just be realistic and this might not work out. But what I can guarantee you is your pain will be gone’. And that has happened.
“The rehab is slow but going well. I’ve been limping for 18 months and even now that I don’t have pain, my initial thought when I stand up from this chair will be to limp.
“So I need to work on that all the time. I will be maybe hitting some balls on a court, stationary, in about two to two-and-a-half months.”
The three-time Grand Slam winner admits he will get the clearest picture of his progress when he starts playing tennis again. But whether he returns to competitive sport or is forced to quit, Murray already feels like a winner.
He said: “It makes a huge difference mentally. I can go walk around the block with my kids, go on a scooter and stuff like that.
“The thought of doing that six weeks ago or two months ago was, ‘Nah, I can’t do that because my hip hurts’.
“I had big restrictions on my life for a year or 18 months.
“Regardless of what happens, I am happy the decision was made to have the surgery done because now I know the next 10 years – or however long it lasts – will be a lot more enjoyable.”