Andy Murray embarks on long road back to the top
Former world No.1 set to return to action following injury
Twelve months ago Andy Murray was on top of the world.
The Scot was celebrating becoming the first Briton to be crowned world No.1 since computerised rankings began in 1973 following a stellar season which saw him win Wimbledon and Olympic gold.
A year on and the picture does not look so rosy for Murray who dropped to No.16 this week, his lowest position since 2008.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The 30-year-old has not played since losing to Sam Querrey in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on July 12 and has been sidelined by a hip injury ever since.
Murray begins his comeback in low-key fashion this evening when he takes on Roger Federer in an exhibition match in Glasgow.
The BBC’s tennis correspondent Russell Fuller believes the Andy Murray Live event will give a clearer indication as to whether the three-time Grand Slam champion is on course to return to competitive action in the new year.
“There seems to be an increasing, yet still cautious, optimism that he will be ready for his scheduled return in Brisbane in the first week of January. A finally accepting he was in too much pain to contest the US Open, the 30-year-old has been keeping his cards very close to his chest but in recent weeks, there has been a subtle change. His coach Jamie Delgado posted some footage of Murray rallying from the baseline a fortnight ago, and the young British player Jay Clarke posted a similar video on Instagram.”
Doubles specialist Jamie Murray will also be in action in Glasgow and will team up with younger brother Andy to take on Tim Henman and Mansour Bahrami after the singles showdown with Federer.
Both matches are more for the entertainment of a 14,000 crowd and to raise money for charity but Jamie Murray told the Daily Telegraph the event is still an important step in Andy’s rehabilitation.
“Andy has been in the gym for a while with his team, working to get back on the court, and in the last three weeks they’ve been hitting balls again and building up to playing in Glasgow.
“I think this has been the longest spell he has had off the tour in his career, so I’m sure he’s excited to be playing a match again. He is someone who loves to compete and this should be a chance for him to test his body out and see how he’s doing.”
However, The Guardian is putting less significance on how Murray fares in Glasgow tonight and fears the Scot’s problems could turn out to be more long-term.
“His left hip remains the focal point of his concern and there are suspicions the problem might be arthritis; if that is so, there are no guarantees. The player, who has decided against surgery in favour of intense rehab, has been reluctant to expand on the exact nature of his problem, which is reason enough in itself for his fans to be worried.”
Murray is not the only former world No.1 to have slipped out of the top ten this week with Novak Djokovic down to 12th having been absent from the ATP Tour since July with an elbow problem.
Djokovic is hoping to start his comeback in Abu Dhabi next month at the exhibition World Tennis Championship.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How to earn extra cash for Christmas
The Explainer The holiday season can be expensive but there are ways to bolster your festive finances
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Christmas gifts for children: the top toys of the year
The Week Recommends The most sought-after kids' presents revealed
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Should Line of Duty return?
Talking Point Adrian Dunbar's hint about a series reboot has some critics worried
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Andy Murray: Britain's greatest sportsperson?
Talking Points Injury denies Scot a final singles appearance at Wimbledon but his place in history is assured
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assault
Speed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
By The Week Staff Published
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pants
Speed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second coming
Speed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Bank holidays and boycotts: are MPs trying to jinx England?
Speed Read Declaring a bank holiday would be ‘tempting fate’, says Boris Johnson
By The Week Staff Published
-
Weightlifting: Olympic Games set for transgender first
Speed Read New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will make history at Tokyo 2020
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sport shorts: Champions League expansion plan to be agreed
Speed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Joachim Low and the Lions women’s team
By Mike Starling Published
-
Sport shorts: Sturgeon slams Rangers fans over title celebrations
Speed Read News and reactions from the world of sport, featuring Keely Hodgkinson and Bryson DeChambeau
By Mike Starling Published