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MURRAY PULLS OUT OF FRENCH OPEN

Andy Murray has had his cast removed and is on the mend

Wednesday May 23,2007

By Bob McKenzie

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ANDY MURRAY bowed to medical advice and pulled out of the French Open yesterday – and now faces a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon.

“The good news is that I have got the cast off and I will start physio treatment,” said Murray, who damaged the tendon in his right wrist last week while playing Filippo Volandri.

The Scot, who slipped out of the world top 10 to No11 this week after the injury curtailed his Hamburg tournament, was unsure as to the extent of the damage until he visited a doctor who removed the precautionary plaster cast on Monday and made a detailed examination.

“I will have to take it day by day to see how it feels and reacts. I am not going to make any decisions on the grass yet,” he said.

“I am going to see the doctor again next week to see how it feels and how much the inflammation has settled.

“One real positive is that I can get in the gym six days a week and work on my cardio and leg strength.”

I am going to see the doctor again next week to see how it feels

Andy Murray

Murray’s next available tournament – if he is fit enough to take part – is the Artois Championship at Queen’s Club in London on June 11.

He is expected to give himself all the time available until the withdrawal deadline of the Friday before, which means he has 17 days to repair the wrist.

Were he to miss that, he could play at Nottingham, as he did last year, to warm up for Wimbledon, which begins on June 25. But it is far from certain that Murray will be ready to appear in SW19.

Tim Henman has already advised Murray not to rush back.

He said: “Andy has just had his 20th birthday, he has got a long career ahead of him and he does not want to jeopardise that.

“The most important thing is that when he comes on court he is 100 per cent.”