What next for Andy after Aussie injury setback?

● Aussie Open doubt as long-running hip problem threatens to impact on career

Andy Murray is considering an operation on his hip as he seeks to mend a long-running problem that is now threatening to seriously impact on his career.

The Scot’s participation in the Australian Open later this month is in doubt after he pulled out of the Brisbane International yesterday.

Murray, in a long post on Instagram and Facebook, admitted he has been going through “a really difficult period with my hip”. He will decide before this weekend whether to try to take part in the first grand slam of the year, which begins a week on Monday, or return to Britain. He flew to Australia on Saturday after a stop-off in Abu Dhabi, where he played an exhibition match.

“In the short term I’m going to be staying in Australia for the next couple of days to see if my hip settles down a bit and will decide by the weekend whether to stay out here or fly home to assess what I do next,” he explained yesterday.

He added that he has sought counsel “from a number of hip specialists” and had been following instructions to treat the injury “conservatively” since the US Open, when he abandoned plans to compete shortly before the tournament started. But he now admits he might be forced into a more extreme course of action.

“Obviously continuing rehab is one option and giving my hip more time to recover,” he said. “Surgery is also an option but the chances of a successful outcome are not as I high as I would like which has made this my secondary option and my hope has been to avoid that. However this is something I may have to consider but let’s hope not.”

The 30-year-old has dropped to 16th in the world having not played a competitive match since July, when he lost in five sets at Wimbledon to Sam Querrey. He played an exhibition set in Abu Dhabi on Friday against Roberto Bautista Agut, and also took on Roger Federer in a charity match at the Hydro in Glasgow in November.

Murray added: “The little kid inside me just wants to play tennis and compete. I genuinely miss it so much and I would give anything to be back out there.

“I didn’t realise until these last few months just how much I love this game. Everytime I wake up from sleeping or napping I hope that it’s better and it’s quite demoralising when you get on the court it’s not at the level you need it to be to compete at this level.”

Novak Djokovic, a six-time winner of the Australian Open, said on social media: “Andy, thank you for genuinely sharing your thoughts and emotions with everyone.

“I can imagine how bad it feels. We all send you support and strength to get through these tough circumstances.”

he news no one wanted to hear – with the possible exception of intendedlast16opponentryan Harrison, who will now face a lucky loser instead – emerged yesterday morning when Andy Murray withdrew from the Brisbane International.

This was planned to be the tournament where the 30-year-old would confirm his return to competitive tennis after a worrying spell of inactivity and in good time for the Australian Open, which begins a week on Monday.

The Scot last featured in a competitive match when losing from two sets to one up against Sam Querrey in the last eight at Wimbledon. Even then he was unable to conceal problems associated with a hip problem that now, he admits, could require surgery. It’s a worrying, potentially career-threatening development.

He isn’t alone in such a plight, of course. Novak Djokovic recently withdrewfromatournamentindoha where he was expecting to make his long-awaited comeback after elbow trouble. The continuing problems of two such high-profile players helps raise concerns about the intense schedule in both men’s and women’s tennis.

Stan Wawrinka has delayed his return after knee surgery and Rafael Nadal also withdrew from the Brisbane International after retiring from the ATP Finals in London in November. The Spaniard is trying to overcome problems with his right knee.

Gabrine Mugaruzza, meanwhile, saw her Brisbane involvement cut short yesterday after collapsing during her match against Aleksandra Krunic. It’s the fourth time in four years she has pulled out of this particular tournament, although heat rather than illness or injury appears to have been the principal factor on this latest occasion.

But Murray’s predicamentalongwiththelong, heartfelt message posted on social media yesterday is causing particular concern. His high intensity style always anticipated such problems being stored up later in his career. There can be no surprise if more than a dozen years scrapping for major titles in the most competitive era men’s tennis has known have taken a toll. His haul of three grand slams, two Olympic singles golds and a Davis Cup title won along with his Great Britain colleagues can be viewed as an outstanding return, particularly since it includes two Wimbledon triumphs. He will have turned 31 before he’s next due to compete at SW17. He’s already voiced a desire simply to be competitive when he returns. No one should interpret Murray’s recent problems, or indeed yesterday’s lessthanpositive New Year message, as signalling the end. It does not necessarily even presage such a distressing event (although it has to come some time, perhaps sooner rather than later).

But his words – all 384 of them – throw up enough doubt to wonder if he can possibly be the same player again, particularly if he is forced to undergo the surgery he has been trying to resist for so long. Murray conceded he is currently “reassessing” his options. The photograph he chose to illustrate his words on Facebook and Instagram was interesting. It was from when he was a pupil at Dunblane Primary school rather than a more recent and perhaps routine one of him in action. He explained it reminded him of the little kid who just wanted to play tennis from dawn to dusk – and, crucially perhaps, was physically able to do so.

But it also invited others to delve more deeply. Some were interpreting his post as a postcard to a boy who was sustained by a love of tennis itself. Murray appears to long for a time when playing was a passion rather than a chore and before he was trapped on the hamster wheel of demands that is an obligation of professional tennis.

“I choose this pic as the little kid insidemejustwantstoplaytennisand Compete. I genuinely miss it so much and I would give anything to be back out there,” the Scot wrote. “I didn’t realise until these last few months just how much I love this game. Every time I wake up from sleeping or napping I hope that it’s better and it’s quite demoralising when you get on the court it’s not at the level you need it to be to compete at this level.”

There’s not much in this from which to extract too much optimism. His entire 2017, a year he began ranked at No 1, was torpedoed by injury concerns, stretching back to last February when he was diagnosed with shingles of all things after exiting the Australian Open. He pulled out of the Miami Open due to an elbow problem and overcame a cough and heavy cold to reach the last four at the French Open.

Brad Gilbert, his former coach, believes it would involve a “long recovery back” if Murray feels he has no choice but to opt for surgery, particularly given how much tennis he has missed already.

Sue Barker recently voiced her concerns for the welfare of players locked into such a gruelling schedule and predicted more players will pick and choose tournaments in which to partake, as Roger Federer, pictured left, has been doing. “These players are playing at such a level now, physically, that I just don’t think it’s possible for them to do the calendars that they’re doing,” the presenter and former French Open champion said.

Federer’s case does provide grounds for hope. While clearly a different player to Murray, the Swiss benefitted from a long injury-enforced break, winning last year’s Australian Open after a six-month lay-off. Even now, when well into the second-half of his 30s, he remains a serious contender and starts this year ranked at No 2.

“I choose this pic as the little kid inside me just wants to play tennis and compete. I genuinely miss itsomuchandiwould give anything to be back out there”