Murray delays startto season

Andy Murray has pulled out of this week’s ATP event in Delray Beach - but not because of injury concerns.

The Dunblane ace had accepted a wildcard to start his 2021 season at the Florida event.

But given the increase in Covid rates and the transatlantic flights involved, he said he wanted to minimize the risks ahead of the Australian Open.

Players will have to pass a series of tests during a 14day quarantine in Melbourne before the Grand Slam which starts on February 8 after being pushed back three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Andy’s appearance at Melbourne comes two years after he played there in what he feared would be his final match as a professional. At 122 in the world, he is ranked too low to gain direct entry into the tournament so the 33-year-old, a five-time runner-up, has been given a wildcard.

Meanwhile his older brother has been looking further ahead - the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer.

The 34 year-old is renewing his partnership with Brazilian Bruno Soares at next month’s Australian Open but he is keeping his options open amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said he had been three times before but it had never worked out for him.

Jamie added: “Who knows, maybe Tokyo will be fourth time lucky.”

He said he was “excited” about reuniting with Soares in a partnership that won two Grand Slam titles before they split in May 2019.

“It wasn’t really something I expected or was looking at,” said Jamie, who had been playing with fellow Briton Neal Skupski.

“Then right at the end of the season there were a few changes, Bruno was available and I put it out there to see if he was keen. Thankfully he was.”

He will partner American Bethanie Mattek-sands in the mixed doubles in Melbourne, where the pair were runnersup last year.

“We’ve won a couple of US Opens, so we’ve done well and hopefully can get a crack at four events this year and pick up some more trophies.”