Murray undergoes hip surgery in London

Andy Murray’s original plan, which he laid out in a pre-Australian Open press conference, was to survive on a damaged hip until Wimbledon and then retire from tennis this summer in front of the home crowd at his favorite tournament.

Murray appeared to waffle on those plans following his first-round loss to Roberto Bautista Agut and they have, in fact, officially changed. The former world No. 1 underwent another hip surgery earlier this week in London, likely putting him out through the summer and for the rest of the whole season–if not permanently.

It remains to be seen if Murray opted for the operation simply to improve his quality of life or with the intention of at some point returning to the ATP Tour. Bob Bryan had basically the same hip resurfacing procedure last spring and he is back on the circuit in 2019 (he and Mike Bryan reached the Australian Open quarterfinals). Both Bryan and Murray have noted, obviously, that returning to singles as opposed to doubles is a whole different beast.

“Seeing the way Andy Murray is feeling kind of hit a nerve with me,” Bryan said during the Aussie Open. “I would love to see him do a similar surgery, feel the relief that it gives. I think our hips are pretty similar: just worn down, no cartilage….

“I never once told him this is the way to go because I do see that singles is a different monster. Those guys are really sliding around, killing themselves for four hours. Who knows if this joint would hold up. It’s not going to break, but who knows if you have that little explosiveness needed to be super quick on the singles court. If you’re a step slow, it’s very exposed out there on a singles court. I’m just telling him, I feel great, quality of life is great, practices are going well. Maybe I’m not 100 percent yet, but I’m only five months (removed from the operation). The doctors said this is more of like a seven or eight months until you feel perfect.”

Bryan had advocated for Murray to use the same doctor in New York, but the latter ultimately went with one in London.

“I have a metal hip,” Murray wrote following the procedure. “Feeling a bit battered and bruised but hopefully that will be the end of my hip pain.”

The 31-year-old Scot struggled valiantly through a five-setter against Bautista Agut on Day 1 in Melbourne, staging a dramatic comeback from two sets down before succumbing 6-4, 6-4, 67(5), 6-7(4), 6-2.

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