Fresh doubts over Andy Murray’s participation at Wimbledon surfaced on Sunday amid reports the three-time Grand Slam champion had undergone spinal surgery.
The Daily Telegraph reported the 37-year-old had gone under the knife on Saturday after withdrawing from his second-round match against Jordan Thompson at Queen’s on Wednesday.
Those claims appeared to be substantiated by a post on X by the ATP Tour, the governing body for men’s professional tennis, but with the post subsequently deleted and no confirmation from Murray’s camp, the extent of his injury remains unclear.
Before his injury, Murray was gearing up to play at Wimbledon – which begins on July 1 – for what is expected to be his final appearance at the Grand Slam, but those plans – and his participation at this summer’s Olympics in Paris – appear in doubt.
An update on Murray’s condition and chances of featuring at the Olympics in Paris, where he has been selected as part of Team GB’s squad, is expected from his camp on Monday.
Speaking after his Queen’s retirement, Murray said: “During my pre-match warm-up I was pretty uncomfortable and then I walked up the stairs, just before going on the court, I didn’t have the normal strength in my right leg. It was not a usual feeling.
“Then the first two balls I hit in the warm-up, my right leg, it was, like, so uncoordinated. I had no coordination. Then, yeah, my right leg just was not working properly.
“In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t gone on there because it was pretty awkward for everyone.
“There is nothing I could do, and then there is part of you that wants to go out there and see if it gets better, you know, and maybe feel better with a bit of treatment or something, but that wasn’t the case.”
Murray tried to play through the pain before eventually he had to withdraw from the match at Queen’s, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as he waved to the spectators.
Murray, who only returned to action last month after eight weeks out due to damaging ankle ligaments in late March, had targeted playing in the singles tournament and the men’s doubles alongside his brother Jamie at Wimbledon.
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Former British tennis player Naomi Broady looks into what the future may hold for fellow Brits Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu
The Olympic Games in Paris follows Wimbledon with Murray named in Great Britain’s squad after the International Tennis Federation awarded him a place having won singles gold in London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Tennis at the Olympics begins on July 27, with Murray nominated to play singles and men’s doubles with Dan Evans.
He has indicated he will retire after this summer.
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