MURRAY’S COMEBACK OFF AGAIN
ANDY MURRAY has pulled out of his latest comeback event in Holland and admits he is running out of time to get fit for Wimbledon.
The Scot will now make a late decision on whether or not he can play at The Queen’s Club, starting on June 18, in what is his last scheduled warm-up event before the grasscourt Grand Slam at SW19. Murray has not played a competitive
match since Wimbledon last July and underwent surgery in Australia in January.
He targeted a return on grass but will now not play the Libema Open next week – his fourth aborted comeback after the US Open, Brisbane and the Australian Open.
Murray said: “It is with regret that I won’t be ready to play in Hertogenbosch.
“I was excited to play there for the first time but I am not quite ready to return. I am still aiming to play in the coming weeks but I want to be 100 per cent when I do return.”
His mum Judy revealed on Monday the three-time Grand Slam champion had returned to the practice court in the last few days.
And yesterday the former world No.1 made his first public appearance for months at a sponsor’s event to acknowledge his recovery has been “very slow”.
Murray said: “I have been out getting close to a year now which is a lot longer than I think I, or any of my team, expected at the beginning but I’m getting closer to playing again.
“I started training a few days ago and hoping to make my comeback during the grass-court season.”
Asked to name his contenders for Wimbledon, Murray said: “I’m hoping I will be there but Roger Federer has obviously got a phenomenal record on grass. He’s won seven times (sic eight) at Wimbledon so he’ll definitely be up there as one of the favourites. But you never know, it depends a little bit on the draw.”
Depending on Murray’s progress, he could decide to play at Eastbourne the week before Wimbledon to get some competitive match time.