Doubles still appeals to Murray
● Scot is pain free but rules out return to singles during the grasscourt season
Andy Murray’s hopes of playing doubles during the grass c o u r t s e a s o n r e m a i n o n course.
The t wo -time Wimbledon champion feels singles would be a step too far following hip resurfacing injur y but is still confident of a return to SW19.
H e c o u l d a l s o m a k e a n appearance at the Fever-tree Championships at the Queen’s Club next month, where a wild c a r d h a s b e e n r e s e r ve d f o r Murray if he is fit to play.
The S cot announced plans to retire after this year’s Wimbledon due to injur y in January. Now he seems less certain. Murray has all but ruled out an appearance in the singles draw, nearly four months after surgery on a career-threatening hip problem, but he could return to SW19 by playing in the men’s doubles.
“I would say there is very little chance I would play singles d u r i n g t h e g r a s s [ s e a s o n ] ,” he said in an inter view in the Times. “Potentially doubles, but I’m not trying to get ready for singles just now. The thing I said before was that, if I wasn’t feeling good, there was more chance that I would play and then stop after Wimbledon.
“Whereas if it’s feeling good, it makes a bit more sense to give it time to make sure that it’s as good as possible before I try to play singles on it.
“Because I’ve only just started moving now, to get ready f o r t h e g r a s s s i n g l e s - wi s e I would have to be doing that for two and a half to three weeks before Queen’s, and that would only give me five or six days of building up to star t running properly. It’s not enough time.”
Murray has upped his recover y and has been practising with Australian Nick Kyrgios on a clay court at Wimbledon.
Murray added: “I will need to see from there how it would work singles-wise. It has been really good so far. I’m playing lots of golf. I don’t have any pain walking round the course and swinging clubs. When I’m on the court hitting, it has been perfect.
“If I continue to feel go o d, then I will obviously give it a shot in singles and see what happens.
“Whereas in doubles I am pretty certain I will be able to play, just based on having an example to look at.”