Murray waits on scan after Queen's injury threatens Wimbledon 'farewell'

FE Team | Published: June 20, 2024 22:33:43

LONDON, June 20 (AFP): Andy Murray's hopes of bowing out from tennis at this year's Wimbledon were left in severe doubt after a back injury forced him to retire from a second-round match at Queen's on Wednesday.
The British tennis great is now set to undergo a scan after lasting a mere five games against Australian Jordan Thompson.
Murray was in evident pain right from his first serve, when his right leg and hip seemed to buckle underneath him.
The 37-year-old Scot had prolonged treatment after three games on his right hip -- which he had replaced in 2019 -- his right knee and his lower back.
Murray briefly played on but eventually withdrew at 4-1 down, with the record five-time Queen's champion receiving sympathetic applause from spectators as he waved to a crowd that included his wife and mother.
Wimbledon is now less than a fortnight away but Murray, twice a champion on the grass of the All England Club, refused to rule out one last appearance.
"During my pre-match warm-up I was pretty uncomfortable and then I walked up the stairs, just before going on the court, I didn't have the normal strength in my right leg," Murray told reporters.
The three-time Grand Slam winner added: "Then the first two balls I hit in the warm-up, my right leg, it was, like, so uncoordinated. I had no coordination. Then, yeah, my right leg just was not working properly.
"In hindsight I wish I hadn't gone on there because it was pretty awkward for everyone.
"There is nothing I could do, and then there is part of you that wants to go out there and see if it gets better, you know, and maybe feel better with a bit of treatment or something, but that wasn't the case."
The former world number one has spoken of wanting to retire either after Wimbledon or the Paris Olympics, with Murray a two-time gold medallist.
But pressed on whether he might now miss Wimbledon, Murray replied: "I wouldn't know.