Andy Murray’s Wimbledon participation in peril after surgery

The Scot is widely expected to retire later this year, meaning this will most likely be his last chance to play at his home Grand Slam

Andy Murray Queen’s – Action Plus / Panoramic

Jamie Malachy

June 23, 2024

Andy Murray is at risk of missing this year’s Wimbledon championships after undergoing surgery on a spinal cyst on Saturday.

The Telegraph reported earlier today that Murray was already ruled out of the tournament after being advised by specialists that recovery was not possible in the timeframe available.

However, no official announcement has been made by Murray or his team, and separate sources told BBC Sport that no decision has yet been reached by the Scot after he received conflicting advice from different experts.

“He obviously went through a procedure yesterday and you have to wait and see now,” said Leon Smith, the head of men’s tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association and a close confidante of the Murray camp.

“My understanding is no decision has been made and let’s hope for the best for Andy.”

The two-time SW19 champion retired after just five games in his second-round match against Jordan Thompson at Queen’s after struggling with a back injury and then revealing his co-ordination in his right leg had also been hampered.

It was then announced that Murray would undergo a back procedure following scans on the affected area. Now, it has been revealed that the issue was a spinal cyst for which Murray required surgery. That procedure has left the Scot will very little time to recover before this year’s Wimbledon, which gets underway in eight days’ time on July 1st.

Andy Murray wins his first Wimbledon title in 2013

The procedure likely rules Murray out of competitive action for several weeks, meaning his participation at the Paris 2024 Olympics may also be under threat.

It is a devastating blow to the three-time Grand Slam champion, who said in February that he was unlikely to play past the summer.

While Murray has yet to announce his final farewell tournament, it was widely expected that this year’s Wimbledon would be his last, and would therefore form an integral component of his swansong.

Now, all those plans may have to be redrawn as Murray faces some difficult decisions about when, where and if he will return to court for what could be the last time in his glittering career.

much uncertainty for murray over the next few days and weeks

If Wimbledon and the Olympics prove to be out of the question, then the US Open would be the next obvious target, with the tournament holding a special place in the Scot’s heart. It was the site of his first major final and title, having won his maiden Grand Slam tournament in New York as well as winning his only Juniors major title there also.

But the road to yet another recovery will be a bitterly difficult one for Murray to work through this time around, after such a cruel year of bad luck during which he has suffered ruptured ligaments in his ankle, a back issue throughout the clay-court season and now this latest setback.

The target was always Wimbledon and one last golden summer at the Olympics – the two tournaments that arguably mean the most for the Scot.

Yet those plans are now in real peril. Instead of a final farewell on the grass courts of the UK and representing Great Britain at the Games, Murray may face another spell out of action.

If he were not able to recover in time for Wimbledon, there would be a genuine question as to whether he has it in him to go through all the necessary rehabilitation and come back once again to his beloved sport.

Only time will tell.

Despite Wimbledon being just eight days away, a period of reflection is no doubt what Murray will take as a desperately unfair year takes another cruel twist to leave the former world No 1 with much to assess.