June 28, (THEWILL) – Andy Murray, the 37-year-old British tennis star, has been included in the Wimbledon singles draw, despite undergoing surgery on a spinal cyst last week.
The two-time Wimbledon champion, currently ranked 115th in the world, is set to face Czech player Tomas Machac, ranked 38th, in the first round of the tournament, which begins on Monday.
Murray’s participation had been in doubt following the operation, with the former world number one stating on Thursday that he was unlikely to be fit enough for singles play. The Scot, who plays with a metal hip, experienced weakness and a loss of coordination in his right leg during the Queen’s tournament, forcing him to withdraw and seek immediate medical attention.
In addition to his singles entry, Murray and his brother, Jamie, were awarded the final wildcard for the Wimbledon men’s doubles by the All England Club on Thursday. This decision provides Murray with an alternative route to compete at the prestigious tournament if he is unable to participate in singles.
Murray, who clinched the Wimbledon title in 2013 and 2016, faces a challenging first-round match against Machac. The 23-year-old Czech player holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Murray, having defeated him in Marseille and Miami earlier this year. Machac also made headlines by upsetting Novak Djokovic in the Geneva semifinals last month.
Looking ahead, Murray is planning for the Paris Olympics to be the final event of his illustrious career. Olympic entries will be confirmed next week, with Murray hoping to compete in both singles and doubles alongside Dan Evans.
About the Author
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.
