Murray back on court but Boulter can’t lead from front
HOPES that Andy Murray might be able to return to tennis have been strengthened after footage emerged of him hitting at the All England Club.
A brief clip was posted by Lawn Tennis Association coach Matt James of the twice Wimbledon champion sharing the court with Estonia’s world No15 Anett Kontaveit and promising British junior Emma Raducanu.
The venue is one of the outside green clay courts at SW19, with the connection being that Nigel Sears, Murray’s father-in-law, is involved with the coaching of the two female players.
The pictures are fairly inconclusive, but will encourage those who want to see Murray back on the circuit, perhaps before the end of the year.
He had surgery on January 28, and on April 1 posted images of himself hitting against a practice wall.
He has also shown himself playing golf.
Murray keeps updates on his health to a minimum, and it is generally a good sign of how optimistic he feels when he posts on social media, or allows others to do so.
The Scot, who turns 32 next month, has said that he may attempt to play doubles as a first stage towards any return in singles. American doubles specialist Bob Bryan is back playing after undergoing the same operation.
With Wimbledon only 10 weeks away, it must be considered unlikely that Murray would be back in time for it but he has made no secret of the fact that, despite the apparent farewells in Australia, he would like to play on if at all medically possible.
Meanwhile, Great Britain ended the first day level at 1-1 with Kazakhstan in their Fed Cup World Group II play-off.
Katie Boulter lost 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) to Kazakh No1 Yulia Putintseva, having had three match points.
Boutler was 5-2 up in that third set and serving for victory but Putintseva repelled a barrage of shots brilliantly to save a match point at 5-6 and force a deciding tie-break.
Boulter then led 6-4 in the breaker, only for Putintseva to save two more match points and then take her chance when Boulter netted a backhand.
British No 1 Johanna Konta had earlier beaten Zarina Diyas 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in London.
GB captain Anne Keothavong said: ‘It is still 1-1 and there is plenty to play for. Katie knows there is still more to play tomorrow, but of course a loss like that is going to hurt her.’