It is still up in the air if former world No.1 Andy Murray will return to tennis, but mother Judy believes there is a strong chance that he will do.
Murray hasn’t played on the tour since his first round loss at the Australian Open after undergoing a second hip operation. Earlier this year, the Brit said that he was unsure if he would be able to continue his career after failing to recover from his chronic injury. In an attempt to revive both his health and career, Murray recently underwent hip resurfacing surgery. A procedure that involves placing a metal rod into the area. Double specialist Bob Bryan had also undergone the procedure and made a successful return to the tour.
Providing an update on Murray’s current health, former Fed Cup captain Judy believes there is a strong change he could return to the tour. The 31-year-old was only able to play six tournaments during 2018 after returning from a 11-month injury absence due to his hip.
“I think he will (return),” Judy was quoted as saying by Sky Sports at the Rio Open.
“(But) I think he’s aware that it might not be possible.
“He’s a smart guy, he has a lot of interest in different things, he has a lot of options in life after tennis. But the most important thing is that he’s free from the pain he’s had for 20 months.
“He has a young family, you have to think about the quality of life for the rest of your life. Actually, that’s the most important thing.”
Murray has kept a low profile in recent weeks as he continues his recovery. He has previously said it is unclear as to how long it will take him to recover from the operation. Fellow tennis player Bryan underwent a similar procedure last summer and returned back to the tour at the start of 2019. However, singles tennis places the body under a lot more pressure than with the doubles.
“Having an operation like that, there’s absolutely no guarantees I’d be able to play again. I’m fully aware of that. It’s a really big operation. There’s no guarantees that you can come back from that. But there is the possibility, because guys have done it before.” He told reporters earlier this year.
Murray has won 45 ATP titles during his career, including three at grand slam level. He is the first tennis player in history to defend an Olympic title and has spent 41 consecutive weeks as world No.1.
