IN a typical display of tenacity, Andy Murray said yesterday that he might have one more shot at saving his top-level tennis career.
After being beaten in five sets by Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round of the Australian Open, the Scot spoke of the possibility of gambling on a second operation on the hip problem that has forced him to consider retirement – and of his desire to be back on court in Melbourne in 12 months’ time.
It was only on Friday that Murray, 31, tearfully announced his intention to quit this year, expressing a hope to make Wimbledon but admitting the Australian tournament could be his swansong. But after his match against Agut he revealed a hip resurfacing operation could be a possibility – a procedure which could give him another chance on court but could also finish his career for good.
If he decides not to have the operation yet, then he will aim to play on the grass this season, finishing off his career at Wimbledon.
Murray said: “I’ll probably decide in the next week or so. If I go ahead with the operation, I don’t recover well from it, then I don’t play again. I’m aware of that.
“It will improve my quality of life, I’ll be in less pain doing just normal things like walking around and putting your shoes and socks on.
“Just now, going to walk my dogs, playing football with my friends, is like the worst thing I can think of doing. Waiting another five or six months to do something like that is just another period where I’m really uncomfortable.
“I just don’t really know yet. But, if today was my last match, it was a brilliant way to finish. That’s something that I’ll probably take into consideration, as well. It was an amazing atmosphere. I literally gave everything that I had on the court, fought as best as I could, and performed a lot better than what I should have done with the amount I’ve been able to practise. I’d be OK with that being my last match.”
Murrays’ refusal to rule out playing again came despite an emotional farewell to the Melbourne crowd, which had his mother Judy and brother Jamie in tears.
Afterwards, Judy retweeted a Twitter post from tennis writer Courtney Nguyen which said: “Who needs two hips when you have an extra large heart?”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted after Murray took the third set: “The mark of a true champion. Come on Andy!”
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