Andy Murray underwent back surgery, and despite reports of his Wimbledon withdrawal, the Brit is reportedly still hoping to play at SW19.
Murray admitted recently that he wasn’t looking for a fairytale ending to his career this year as he prepares to retire from the sport that’s been his life for over two decades. Even so, he would like to play at Wimbledon and say goodbye in a way that is befitting of a tennis player of his magnitude.
The Brit experienced an injury during his most recent match at the Cinch Championships at the Queen’s Club. He retired a few games into the match, and reports later suggested that it was a back issue that hindered him.
He underwent surgery on his back to remove a spinal cyst, which isn’t the most invasive surgery, but it requires some time to recover. The event is only a week away, and while scheduling might give Murray a day or two extra, the start of the tournament is coming fast.
Social media posts by the ATP stated that Murray was out of Wimbledon, but they were swiftly removed at the requests of Murray’s management. Team GB Captain Leon Smith confirmed to BBC that Murray hasn’t officially withdrawn yet despite these reports.
“I’ve seen the reports, and on social media, and that’s not my understanding. This has come from one source and had a knock-on effect. A lot of people are reporting it but that’s not my understanding.”
“He obviously went through a procedure yesterday and you have to wait and see now. My understanding is no decision has been made and let’s hope for the best for Andy.”
Ultimately, it will come down to whether Murray finds a way to play just a week after undergoing surgery on his spine. The standard recovery time for the procedure Murray underwent is at least four weeks, but he only has one week to do so.
