Murray Will Return To The Tour Next Week in Abu Dhabi

Written by: on 17th December 2013
Wimbledon Championships
Murray Will Return To The Tour Next Week in Abu Dhabi

epa03769986 Andy Murray of Britain celebrates a winner against Mikhail Youzhny of Russia during their fourth round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 01 July 2013. EPA/ANDY RAIN  |

Amidst collecting just about every award has to offer, albeit from a considerable distance while still ensconced in his Miami training base, Andy Murray has finally given the thumbs up to his return to action after back surgery and officially announced he will be playing next week’s Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

 

Up to now Wimbledon champion Murray, who underwent surgery on September 23 to shave some bone that was impinging on a nerve, would give no hard and fast commitment on his return.

 

A low key comeback was delayed last month when the Dream Cup exhibition event in Barbados was cancelled after Frenchman Richard Gasquet declared himself unavailable and no replacement could be found at short notice. In addition a proposed television deal fell into financial difficulties.

 

Now Murray has officially stated he is ready to test his fitness in the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament at Zayed Sports City, where he will face Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his opening match on Boxing Day, December 26.

 

Murray said: “I’ve been training and having rehab every day and will continue to do so right up until just before Christmas when I fly to Abu Dhabi.

“Getting back to playing competitively is the next step in my preparations for the new season, which starts for me at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

“Coming back from injury is never easy and the line-up this year is so strong but it’s exactly the test I need to see where my game is at. I’m looking forward to being part of what is always a great tournament.”

 

If his back stands up to the test in Abu Dhabi, Murray will then make the short trip down the Arabian Gulf to contest his first official tournament since the US Open when he plays in the ATP World Tour’s year-opening Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, beginning December 30.

 

As well as Murray and Tsonga, the Abu Dhabi event also features the world’s top three players Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer, as well as eighth ranked Stanislas Wawrinka.

 

Murray’s close friend and training partner Ross Hutchins is also in comeback mode, after being the all clear by his oncologists after being declared in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

 

Hutchins has been training at full intensity in Miami and plans to make his comeback at the Brisbane International. He will resume a partnership with Colin Fleming that has brought three titles and quarterfinal appearances at Wimbledon and the US Open.

 

“I hope my experiences over the past 12 months can help give us that 10% extra to take us from a top-10 team to a really, really top team who are pushing for Grand Slam titles and Masters Series titles,” said Hutchins who was diagnosed with cancer a year ago having suffered from back pain for the previous seven months.

 

“It’s something that’s a big goal of ours and something we’ve planned all year. We’re looking to 2014 with a real thirst for success, desperate to take on the world and almost come back with a bang.

 

“We’ve beaten pretty much everyone in the world and I do feel like we can be number one in the world.”

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