Five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray has withdrawn from the 2021 event. Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray has confirmed that he won’t be competing in the 2021 Australian Open.
Murray, now ranked No. 123 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, had been granted a wildcard to play in the tournament’s main draw but he tested positive for Covid-19 last week shortly before he was due to fly to Melbourne.
The 33-year-old Scot was asymptomatic and still hoped to compete in the event, but was unable to agree upon a “workable quarantine” after extensive talks with Tennis Australia.
Murray had already been quarantining in the U.K. but would have faced an additional 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Melbourne.
“Gutted to share that I won’t be flying out to Australia to compete at the Australian Open,” Murray said in a statement. “We’ve been in constant dialogue with Tennis Australia to try and find a solution which would allow some form of workable quarantine, but we couldn’t make it work.
I want to thank everyone there for their efforts, I’m devastated not to be playing out in Australia. It’s a country and tournament that I love.”
So sorry we won’t see you this year @andy_murray. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2022. pic.twitter.com/NstmHFnCGm
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2021
It would have been Murray’s first appearance at the Australian Open since 2019, when he lost in the first round to Roberto Bautista Agut and was given an emotional farewell tribute that proved to be premature.
After returning from hip surgery in 2019, Murray won the European Open in Antwerp in October 2019 but has struggled to remain fit in recent months. He ended the 2020 season in October to address a pelvic injury but is now apparently ready to return to action.
Andy Murray to retire:
Andy Murray was beaten by Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the opening round of the Australian Open. The build up had been dominated by Murray’s comments last week when he claimed this tournament could be his last.
But today he suggested he would try everything to get back Melbourne and play the tournament again – even if it means going under the knife again.
The Scot wants to continue until Wimbledon but admits if the pain is too much over these two weeks he may not make it.
It depends how things feel over the coming days. He suggested he would continue to fight the injuries after losing today.
He wasn’t expected to beat Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round and surprised most by even taking it to five sets.
Now it will all be about his recovery and planning for Wimbledon, where he suggested last week he’d like to bow out.
What did Andy Murray say about retiring before the Australian Open?
“I said to my team, look I think I can get through this until Wimbledon. That’s where I’d like to stop playing. But I’m also not certain I’m able to do that.”
When asked if this could in fact be his last tournament, he said: “Yes I think there’s a chance of that for sure because I’m not sure I’m able to play through the pain for another four or five months.
“I have an option to have another operation, which is a little bit more severe than what I’ve had before in having my hip resurfaced, which will allow me to have a better quality of life and be out of pain.
“That’s something I’m seriously considering right now. Some athletes have had that and gone back to competing but there’s obviously no guarantees with that and the reason for having an operation like that is not to return to professional sport, it’s just for a better quality of life.”
