Fears for Andy
Murray is forced to rest until next year
ANDY MURRAY has revealed that he will almost certainly miss the rest of the tennis year — forced out by the hip injury that has wrecked his sporting summer.
Just weeks after mum — and former coach — Judy expressed fears that Britain’s greatest ever ‘might not play for much longer’, the former world No1 confirmed that he is taking an enforced break from the game yesterday. There are now real concerns over his future.
Murray hadn’t played since Wimbledon, when he was clearly struggling with his movement in a five-set quarter-final defeat
to Sam Querrey. The Scot had been top seed at the All England Club, favourite to retain the title won in 2016 — completing a hat-trick of triumphs in SW19. The former US Open champion then withdrew before the start of the action at Flushing Meadows. And yesterday he confirmed that, while not undergoing surgery on an injury that he hasn’t detailed in public, a specialist has advised him to rest. Describing the move as ‘the best decision for my long-term future’, Murray said he still planned to kick off 2018 at the Brisbane International — a traditional Australian Open warm-up — on New Year’s Day. Just last month, however, mum Judy opened up about her concerns for the 30-year-old, saying: ‘The thing that worries me now is that Andy may not play for much longer.’ Davis Cup captain Leon Smith has backed Murray — who underwent back surgery in 2013 but recovered in brilliant style — to overcome this latest setback. Citing the examples set by Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, Smith said: ‘This is a guy who wants to win more Grand Slams. I’ve seen first hand the attention to detail he brings to his rehab work. ‘He will do everything he can to get back, there is no doubt that he will put the hours in, and don’t forget that we have seen the likes of Roger and Rafa come back and win after long periods out.’ Former coach Miles Maclagan believes Murray is right to take a break. ‘His priority is his longterm health,’ he told