March 26, (THEWILL)- Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray is staring at an extended period away from tennis after suffering serious ankle injuries at the Miami Open. The 36-year-old Brit was forced to retire from his third-round match against Czech Tomas Machac, on Sunday, after rupturing ligaments in his right ankle.
In a sobering Instagram post on Monday, the former world number one, revealed he had suffered a full rupture of his anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and near full-thickness rupture of his calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), in his right ankle. The injuries occurred late in his three-set defeat to Machac.
The two-time Wimbledon champion said he will seek opinion from an ankle specialist upon returning home to determine the next course of action. However, he acknowledged that a lengthy rehabilitation lies ahead, stating: “I’ll be out for an extended period.”
Despite the latest setback compounding his ongoing hip issues, Murray vowed to return to the tour, saying: “I’ll be back with 1 hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right.” The Scot had previously undergone hip resurfacing surgery in 2019.
Murray had initially planned to retire after Wimbledon this year but may now target the 2024 Paris Olympics as his swansong. Ranked 62nd, the 36-year-old has not indicated when he will return but his 2023 season is likely over following this latest injury setback in Miami.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
