Andy Murray Opts Out Of French Open

Written by: Staff on 22nd May 2013

Andy Murray Opts Out Of French Open

epa03695446 British tennis player Andy Murray during his Madrid Open tennis tournament quarter final match against Czech Tomas Berdych played at the Caja Magica tennis center in Madrid, central Spain, 10 May 2013. EPA/EMILIO NARANJO |

US Open champion and world no.2 Andy Murray has taken the hard decision and reluctantly opted to withdraw from the French Open, erring on the side of caution with the back injury that forced him out last week’s Internazionale BNL d’Italia in Rome.

Murray, who would have been seeded second for the second Grand Slam of the year, took the decision after taking two scans and consulting several orthopedic specialists in London and Bristol.

The basis of his decision is not to endanger his chances of being fit for Wimbledon and after retiring at one set all in his first match in Rome against Spain’s Marcel Granollers, his aim is now to be match fit for the start of the grass-court season at Aegon Championships at London’s Queen’s Club on June 10.

“It’s been a really tough decision, and I love playing in Paris, but after seeking medical advice I’m not fit to compete,” said 26 year-old Murray who will end a run of contesting 22 successive Grand Slam events, his last absence coming at Wimbledon in 2007.

fff“Apologies to the organizers and thanks to everyone for the messages of support. Now my complete focus is on getting back on the court as soon as possible.”

Murray was forced to withdraw from his match with Granollers in Rome on his 26th birthday after squaring the contest at one set all with an impressive performance in the second set tie-break. Immediately afterwards he said he would be “very surprised” if he would be fit for the French Open.

His only previous mid-match retirement coincidentally came on his 20th birthday, when he snapped a tendon in his wrist at the 2007 Hamburg Masters.

That was the most serious injury Murray has suffered and led to him missing both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Murray struggled with a lower-back problem throughout the clay season last year. One match against Jarkko Nieminen during the French Open prompted former Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade to call him a “drama queen”.

He had injections before Wimbledon but said the problem returned in Madrid two weeks ago and did not improve with rest.

“Until Madrid, it had been OK but it’s not been perfect for a long period,” Murray said at the Italian Open. “You always go into matches with little niggles and such, but it’s frustrating when for a long period you’re hurting.

“It’s been an issue for a while now and I want to make sure it goes away. It’s not enjoyable when you’re playing in pain.”

Murray reached the Roland Garros quarter-finals last year, losing to David Ferrer, before reaching his first Wimbledon final, winning Olympic gold back at SW19, and clinching his first Grand Slam at the US Open.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

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