Andy Murray surgery: British tennis star has metal hip inserted in bid to save his career

Major operation | Murray posts picture from his hospital bed after having his hip resurfaced
Andy Murray
Tom Dutton29 January 2019

Andy Murray has undergone hip resurfacing surgery plunging his chances of competing at Wimbledon into serious doubt.

Earlier in January, the British tennis star announced plans to step away from tennis in 2019 after failing to overcome a chronic hip problem which has troubled him for nearly two years.

But speaking after his first round exit at the Australian Open days later, Murray explained that a successful hip operation could save his career.

The 31-year-old said that he could delay surgery and appear at the All England Club for a final time later this year, or opt for a hip resurfacing operation and hope for a positive outcome.

"I underwent a hip resurfacing surgery in London yesterday morning," the Scot posted on Instagram on Tuesday.

"Feeling a bit battered and bruised just now but hopefully that will be the end of my hip pain."

X-Ray Photo: Instagram/Andy Murray
Andy Murray

American doubles champion Bob Bryan successfully returned to the court five months after having the same surgery, meaning Murray's hopes of competing at Wimbledon in July this year hang by a thread.

But there is no guarantee Murray will even return to the professional game.

In Pictures | Andy Murray

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Dr Peter Brukner, a former doctor for the Australia cricket team who previously worked for Liverpool as head of sports medicine, has warned Murray's chances of playing elite tennis again are now "slim".

“I’m not sure his hip would cope with doing the level of training and playing that would be required to get back to the level where he was,” Dr Brukner told Standard Sport earlier in January.

“I would seriously doubt that, but that’s not to say that he won’t have a crack at it. I would say his chances of resuming at that level again are fairly slim.”

Murray had considered postponing the surgery and taking four months away from the court to be certain of one more appearance at SW19.

Had he plumped for that route, the Scot would have called time on his career at the Championships in the summer before going under the knife to ease his hip troubles in retirement.

Indeed, the three-time Grand Slam champion has struggled with every day tasks as a result of what he describes as a “severely damaged right hip".

Murray said earlier this month: “There are little things, day to day, that are also a struggle. It would be nice to be able to do them without any pain: putting shoes and socks on, things like that.”

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