August 11, (THEWILL) – Andy Murray was forced to withdraw from his round of 16 match against Jannik Sinner at the Canadian Open on Thursday, due to an abdominal strain.
The former world number one had been enjoying success in Toronto and was set to face the 10th-ranked Italian in the next round before pulling out. Murray had battled to a thrilling three-set win over Australia’s Max Purcell in the second round on Wednesday night. However, the 36-year-old Scot aggravated an abdominal injury during the match.
In a statement after withdrawing, Murray said the injury was similar to one he had in 2022 that forced him to miss Queen’s Club. The abdominal strain ends Murray’s run in Toronto just as he was gaining momentum on the summer hard court swing. Murray will now focus on recovery ahead of the US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam tournament, which begins in just over two weeks.
Murray is currently ranked 36th in the world, his highest position since 2018. With Murray’s withdrawal, Jannik Sinner advances to the quarterfinals where he will face Gael Monfils. Monfils defeated Aleksandar Vukic to reach the final eight. The 20-year-old Sinner is the youngest player left in the tournament and looking to capture his first ATP 1000 title.
Murray remains optimistic about competing at the US Open, but his preparation will depend on how quickly he can recover from this latest abdominal setback. Murray has overcome numerous injuries in career comebacks, but the recurrent abdomen issue will be concerning ahead of New York.
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.
