Andy Murray taking ‘baby steps’ and admits he hopes to return to singles later this year

Wimbledon
Andy Murray meets the press

In his latest fitness update ahead of his return to tennis, Andy Murray says he is “improving all the time” but admits he is unlikely to play singles at either Wimbledon or the US Open.

After initially revealing that this year’s Wimbledon could be his last, Murray underwent hip resurfacing surgery at the end of January.

And the three-time Grand Slam winner’s rehabilitation has gone according to plan as he is set to make his competitive comeback next week in the doubles at Queen’s.

He will partner Feliciano Lopez at the Fever-Tree Championship, but it has led to questions about whether or not he could play singles at Wimbledon.

However, he has no put paid to suggestions he could make a return to singles soon.

“It’s baby steps just now,” Murray said. “I’m feeling good, pretty much pain-free and enjoying just training, practising, improving all the time just now.

“I don’t think when Wimbledon finishes that I will just step on to the singles court the following week and everything’s good.

“At this moment I’ve been progressing all of the time. At some stage it’s probably going to plateau for a while before I’m able to kick on.

“I hope at some stage this year I would be able to get back to playing singles again. I’m not really interested in putting a time limit on it because I’m quite happy just now.

“So I don’t need to play singles after Wimbledon or at the US Open to – you know, enjoy doing what I’m doing just now.

“If I can, that would be brilliant, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case. I think it’s going to take a bit longer.”

The 32-year-old, though, has stepped up his singles training, but also not pushing too hard.

“I have practised singles a few times. I practised with [Frances] Tiafoe. I practised with him last week. I practised with him at Wimbledon. I have done some singles training drills with my coach,” he said.

“Earlier on I was hitting with singles players but I was more stationary. I was moving them rather than them moving me about. So, I have not played proper singles-wise yet, no. I am hoping that will come more after Wimbledon.

“[Against Tiafoe], I did a lot of the usual drills I would do if I am going to play singles but I didn’t play a set with him. I did first four shots in the rally, couple more, but no extended rallies.”

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