Andy Murray faces a fight to be ready for Wimbledon this summer after suffering an ankle injury.
Andy Murray is ‘hoping’ to play at the cinch Championships at The Queen’s Club this year in an effort to be ready for his last Wimbledon, according to tournament organisers. The 36-year-old is set for an unspecified period of recovery after rupturing ankle ligaments at the Miami Open last month.
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With five wins under his belt, Murray is the most successful player in the history of the cinch Championships. The three-time Grand Slam victor traditionally uses the tournament as a grass-court warm-up for Wimbledon, which starts just over a week after the final.
It seemed as though Murray’s farewell season was in tatters when he ruptured multiple ankle ligaments in a three-set defeat to Tomas Machac in Miami. The Scot had previously impressed by battling to the round of 32 with wins over Matteo Berrettini and Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
“It goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period,” Murray said on Instagram. “But I’ll be back with one hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right.”
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A fresh hint has now been dropped on Murray’s return by organisers of the cinch Championships. After announcing the Brits set to compete at the tournament, they explained on X: “Five-time champion Andy Murray is hoping to play at the cinch Championships this year as he returns from injury.”
The LTA’s announcement continued: “British No.1 Cam Norrie will be joined by 22-year-old Jack Draper, Andy Murray and Dan Evans as a quartet of stars confirmed to feature in the singles draw at The Queen’s Club this summer.”
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A star-studded list of entrants also includes Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe. Murray will hope to use the tournament to get ready for Wimbledon, where he prevailed in 2013 and 2016.
If he returns in time, it promises to be an emotional affair for Murray at SW19 after admitting that he is likely to hang up his racket after the Paris Olympics, which would make this year’s Wimbledon his last.
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“I’m likely not going to play past this summer,” Murray, who turns 37 next month, told the Today Programme. “I get asked about it after every single match that I play, every single tournament that I play. I’m bored of the question, to be honest.
“I’m not going to talk more about that between now and whenever the time comes for me to stop. But, yes, I don’t plan on playing much past this summer.”
