Andy Murray still not sure if he will be able to compete at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England – Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray said on Sunday that it is “impossible” to know yet whether he will be able to compete in the grass-court Grand Slam tournament, even if he “feels better every day” as he recovers from surgery to remove a cyst from his spine.

Murray, 37, is scheduled to play the first round of singles at the All England Club on Tuesday. He and his older brother, Jamie, also received a wild card invitation to doubles, and that event begins later in the week.

The Scot underwent back surgery on June 22, after having to stop during a match a few days earlier at the Queen’s Club. He said the cyst was compressing a nerve and making his right leg numb and difficult to use, and he figured before the operation it was “highly likely” he would miss Wimbledon.

“It was a difficult 10 days,” he said.

Murray played a set practice on Sunday.

“It went very well, but I still don’t have 100% sensation and sensitivity in my leg,” he said.

Murray plans to have a medical on Monday – the first day of Wimbledon – and play another training session, and will likely make a decision in the evening.

Murray has a total of three major championships: he won the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. His 2013 title made him the first Briton to win the singles trophy at the All England Club in 77 years.

He is also the only player with two consecutive singles tennis gold medals at the Olympics. He won in London in 2012 – when the Summer Games matches were held at the All England Club – and in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Murray underwent two hip operations in 2018 and 2019. Although he thought he would need to retire after the second surgery, in which he received a metal implant in his hip, Murray eventually returned to action.

Since then, he has been hampered by several health problems, including tearing ligaments in his left ankle at the Miami Open in March.

Murray lost in the first round of the French Open in May.

He’s not the only 37-year-old with multiple Wimbledon championships under his belt who is recovering from recent surgery: Novak Djokovicwho has won seven of his 24 Grand Slam titles at the All England Club, underwent a procedure to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee less than a month ago after being injured at the French Open.

Djokovic said on Saturday he feels well enough to compete at Wimbledon – and perhaps even compete for another trophy.

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AP Tennis: