Murray in Australia as he begins new comeback bid

Andy Murray has arrived in Australia as he looks to step up his preparations for the new season at the upcoming Brisbane International and put his 2018 injury troubles behind him.

The former world No 1 has won the tournament twice before but was forced to pull out last year having put his career on pause due to ongoing issues with his hip.

Murray was met by fans and local media at arrivals in Brisbane as he and his team look to use the forthcoming days and weeks to acclimatise ahead of the Australian Open which starts on January 14.

Murray played just six tournaments in 2018 as he continued to struggle with injury and has been open about the fact he wants plenty of time to adjust to everything in Australia.

In a recent post on social media, Murray – a five-time runner-up in Australia – said: ‘I’m planning to get to Brisbane pretty early – probably a week before the start of the tournament.’

In Brisbane, he could face the likes of world No 2 Rafael Nadal who returns after pulling out last time round.

Murray has been out training in Miami, Florida, in the off-season as the world No 256 attempts to climb back up the rankings to familiar territory.

Former top 10 player Fernando Verdasco was brought in by Murray’s team as a hitting partner in America as he attempts to step up the intensity of sessions before entering a tournament environment again.

The first round will be played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. British No 1 Kyle Edmund is also set to be take part in a star-studded field.

Andy Murray is to compete in Brisbane event.