GRAND DESIGNS
Murray still plans to play in two remaining Slams as he returns after seven months out
My hip has felt better in last three, four weeks
ANDY MURRAY launches his latest comeback today as the Scot tests his hip before a planned Grand Slam return at the US Open in August.
But the double Olympic champion has admitted he still has nagging questions over the quarantine rules in New York and about playing in the French Open in Paris in September.
Murray has been out of action since suffering a pelvic injury at the Davis Cup finals in November. And the former world No1 only played 18 singles matches in 2019 following his return from a second hip operation.
He wanted to play at the Miami Open in March but his first match back will be against Liam Broady in the Schroders Battle of the Brits.
“My hip’s been feeling better for probably the last three or four weeks,” said Murray.
“It feels better than in March. Now I feel a little bit more confident in it because I’ve had more training under my belt, more practice.
“Playing matches is what is important for me. I’m playing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and it’s a good level so that will be a good test.
“I want to hold up physically this week and have my hip good at the end of it having competed in three, four or five matches, that it hasn’t flared up.
“If it doesn’t, that would be a hugely positive thing and maybe the bony growth that I have is manageable. Once I get back playing, I will be hungry to do well.”
The 2012 champion wants to feature at the US Open. “I would go and play providing that we are given the assurance that it will be safe,” he said.
But the three-time Grand Slam winner asked: “What’s the punishment for people who are not sticking to the rules there that have been put in place?
“You imagine a situation where you’re in the last stages of the US Open but, because someone’s gone out of that bubble and broken those rules and gone into Manhattan or done something he shouldn’t have been doing, and you then contract the virus and are not able to compete in the quarter-finals and semis.
“It would be extremely frustrating. So how do they police that exactly?” British No 6 Broady will represent the first test for Murray and the Stockport left-hander is sceptical about the Scot’s cautious words since his recovery.
Broady said: “It’s definitely not going to be easy. He’s been giving it a lot of chat about how bad he is and how bad his hip is and how poorly prepared he is and how he’s one of the least favourites for this tournament.
“But he’s a serial winner and one of the toughest competitors on tour. So I suspect when the time’s
called after the warm-up tomorrow he’s going to be pretty tough to beat. “A few days ago he said he was pulling out of of the tournament because he’d torn something, which was completely bogus. He made it up to wind everyone up. At this point, I don’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth whether it’s true or not.”