Andy Murray will undergo a back procedure on Saturday, just nine days before Wimbledon begins. The three-time Grand Slam champion, aged 37, had to retire from his second-round match against Jordan Thompson at Queen’s on Wednesday. Trailing 4-1 in the first set, Murray decided he could not continue due to the back issue.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist is contemplating retirement later this year and recently mentioned that ending his career at either Wimbledon, starting on 1 July, or the Paris 2024 Olympics would be “fitting.” Despite the setback at Queen’s, Murray remained hopeful that his back issue would not prevent him from making a final appearance at Wimbledon, where he is a two-time champion.
Speaking on BBC Two, Murray’s brother Jamie said, “He saw a specialist yesterday evening and he’s basically trying to decide what his next move is. It’s obviously incredibly disappointing for him that this was potentially going to be his last Queen’s, last Wimbledon and Olympics, and there’s a potential that that might not be able to happen. I think he’s got to make a few decisions and see where he goes from there.”
Murray, who underwent a hip resurfacing operation in 2019, has faced several injuries recently, including ruptured ankle ligaments at the Miami Open in March. His ongoing back problem was exacerbated by playing on clay. Despite winning his first-round match at Queen’s against Alexei Popyrin, Murray struggled with discomfort against Thompson the following day.
As he races against time to be fit for Wimbledon, which starts on 1 July, and the Olympic tennis event beginning on 27 July, fellow Briton Dan Evans also faces challenges. Evans had to retire due to a knee injury after a fall during his Queen’s opener against Brandon Nakashima and has since had a scan.
Murray’s future remains uncertain as he weighs his options following the procedure.
