Andy Murray celebrates winning at Indian Wells
Fears that Andy Murray would miss what could be his last summer of tennis due to injury have been banished after the confirmed an earlier than expected return to action.
Murray has accepted a wild card into next week’s ATP Challenger Tour event in Bordeaux, as he looks to cram in some clay court matches before he sets his sights on his biggest priority of the year, which will be a final surge on grass courts in front of his British fans.
The former world No 1 has been sidelined for seven weeks by the serious ankle ligament damage he suffered during a third-round loss to Tomas Machac at the Miami Open in March.
It was announced on Wednesday that Murray had taken a wild card into the Geneva Open beginning on May 25 and with the French Open only a fortnight away, the Scot has opted for more clay-court practice and will also play next week in the second-tier tournament in France.
Murray’s last match on clay also came in Bordeaux a year ago, when he was heavily beaten by Stan Wawrinka before deciding not to play at Roland Garros.
This year he has his sights set on a final appearance in the year’s second Grand Slam, where he will also enter the doubles alongside Davis Cup team-mate Dan Evans.
Andy Murray is hoping to be back on the Parisian clay in the summer for a final tilt at another Olympic medal, with his best chance likely to be in doubles.
His decision to play in Bordeaux does not mean he is planning to play singles at the French Open, as he could opt just to play the doubles with Evans as a farewell appearance at Roland Garros, where he lost in the final against Novak Djokovic in 2016.
Fans will be intrigued to see Murray back in action, especially former British No 1 Andrew Castle told Tennis365 that he may return with a new racket as he strives to finish his career on a high.
“From what I hear he is practising with a different racket, he is still working with the different weights of the racket and different strings. He’s still trying to get 100 per-cent out of everything,” Castle told Tennis365 at a Game4Padel event.
“If he does call it quits this year, you just have to reflect on the most unbelievable career and hope that we all capitalise on it, which we probably won’t.”
Murray has stated he doesn’t want his final days in tennis to be a ‘farewell tour’, but there has always been a perception that he would like to have one final hurrah on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, where he won two Grand Slam titles and an Olympic Gold medal in 2012.
Castle suggests Murray deserves a send-off from the British fans, amid rumours that a statue of the first homegrown player to win the Wimbledon Championships in 77 years back in 2013 may be part of the ongoing discussions over a fitting tribute.
“There are bound to be presentations, goodbyes and acknowledgements for Murray at Wimbledon, as there should be,” added Castle.
“The career he has had and the joy he has given British tennis fans has been immense and he deserves whatever send-off they give him.
“He will be acknowledged for the inspirational sportsman he has been. He’s been unbelievable.
“We had Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski flying the British flag for a few years and that was welcome after we had Jeremy Bates and Andrew Castle as our big hopes for a few years!
“Andy just took it to the next level and then the next level again. I didn’t see it coming until I saw him play. He has been a fantastic champion.”
