Andy Murray a no-go for Australian Open due to pelvic injury

Five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray announced he will not play in next month’s Grand Slam event or the new ATP Cup due to an injury to his pelvis.

The 32-year-old suffered the injury last month during the Davis Cup finals in Madrid, where he played just one match.

«I’ve worked so hard to get myself into a situation where I can play at the top level and I’m gutted I’m not going to be able to play in Australia in January,» said Murray. «After the Australian Open this year, when I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to play again, I was excited about coming back to Australia and giving my best. That makes this even more disappointing for me.

«Unfortunately, I’ve had a setback recently and, as a precaution, need to work through that before I get back on court competing.»

It’s a disappointing development after Murray made a remarkable recovery from a hip injury last year that threatened to finish his career. It was nearly a year ago that he held an emotional pre-tournament press conference in Melbourne where he announced his intention to retire after Wimbledon due to unrelenting pain in his left hip.

James Ward joins Team Great Britain

Although he lost his opening-round match at the Australian Open, a dramatic five-set loss to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, instead of retirement Murray opted for surgery just weeks later to insert a metal plate into his hip joint.

By June, he was back playing doubles with Spaniard Feliciano Lopez and the pair won the Queen’s Club Championships. He returned to singles action in August and just two months later, Murray beat Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka in the European Open in Antwerp, Belgium, to clinch his first ATP Tour singles title since 2017 Dubai.

James Ward will replace Murray on Team Great Britain at the ATP Cup, which starts Jan. 3.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is the defending champion at the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 20.

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