A former world number one, Andy Murray, has pulled out of the Australian Open after failing to recover from a hip injury, tournament organisers said yesterday.
The three-time Grand Slam winner has not played a competitive match since a Wimbledon quarter-final loss last July.
In spite of coming through a one-set exhibition in Abu Dhabi last week, the Briton has now decided to focus on rehabilitation.
“Sadly I won’t be playing in Melbourne this year, as I am not yet ready to compete,” Murray, a five-times Australian Open runner-up, said in a statement.
“I’ll be flying home shortly to assess all the options. But I appreciate all the messages of support and I hope to be back playing soon.”
The first Grand Slam of the year begins on January 15 at Melbourne Park.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
