Murray's Wimbledon bow in doubt

LONDON — 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.

After three games, the 37-year-old Scot had prolonged treatment 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 two weeks away, but Murray, twice a champion on the grass of the All England Club, refused to rule out one last appearance.

"During my prematch warm-up I was pretty uncomfortable and, then, as 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. My right leg was just not working properly.

"In hindsight, I wish I hadn't gone out there, because it was pretty awkward for everyone.

"There is nothing I could do, but then, there is a part of you that wants to go out there and see if it gets better, you know? You're thinking that maybe it will feel better with a bit of treatment or something, but that wasn't the case."

The former world No 1 has spoken of wanting to retire either after Wimbledon or the Paris Olympics, with Murray a two-time gold medalist.

AFP