Murray facing up to prospect of lengthy lay-off

Andy Murray is set for an “extended spell” on the sidelines after he suffered a serious ankle injury uring s feat y Toma Machac th Miam Open. Murray osta marathon encounter to he zech layer 5-7 7- 7-6 (5), ut as eemingly eft America with ore significant issue. urin the 10th ame of he inal set, urray co apsed to he loor aft r he hurt his an e wh rac wards e net, ing se led he poin which won the game. A medical time-out as initially called or he hree-tim major winner but he icked hims lf up continued, n y to os th decider on a ie-breaker. Th 36-y r-old, ho is se to retire ater his year, has no nfirmed the severity of hi injury with both his An rior Talofu ular ligament ATFL and Ca aneofibula ligament CFL) ruptured. esterday owards he end my atch n Miami I suf ered ull ruptur of y ATFL nd ear full thickness rupture of CF Murray said on Instagram “I will se an nkle pecialis when etur home to determine next teps. Goes ithout ayin this is tough one to ake an I’ll be out or an extended eriod. But I’ll back ith one hip an no ankle ligaments when he ime is right. Murray ad eveale in ebruar during he ubai pe his intentio to etir this r, elling reporters: don’ plan n playing much this um r”. It f lowed a string first-roun exit in ustralia nd rance, ut Murray as anaged o improve hi form ver the past onth. Th do le edon cham on denis hapo alov and avid offin at recen tournament before e claime back-to-back in in mi for the firs time sin e Aug Murray defea ed Matteo Berrettini n round on an claime a semblance of evenge over ustralian Open onqueror Tomas Martin heverr lost te thre hours and minutes to hac on unday. More orryin for th Scot be he rospec of lengthy lay-off, specially with imbledon only three months away as Murray’s swansong is hreatened by his potentiall serious new injury.

Andy Murray after injuring his ankle during his defeat at the Miami Open